De Klerk called for a stronger international presence to increase cooperation among disparate groups, condemning the often "ad hoc" nature of the global community's response to inter-ethnic crisis.
De Klerk suggested that communities in a multi-cultural society be given the maximum "breathing space" and the opportunity to express their traditions.
Ending his speech on a hopeful tone, de Klerk raised the possibility of a global village which would foster new cultural interaction and new codes of behavior.
Students at the speech said they wondered how honest deKlerk was actually being.
"I'm sure there's stuff he's not telling us," said South African student Daniel Michalow '04.
--Staff writer Nicole B. Usher can be reached at usher@fas.harvard.edu.