Free yourself, free others and serve every day: Nelson Mandela International Day Campaign 2014

“The time has come to accept in our hearts and minds that with freedom comes responsibility.” – Nelson Mandela, February 1995

The launch of the Nelson Mandela International Day Campaign 2014 at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory today, 8 April 2014, signifies the commencement of the Nelson Mandela Foundation's global call to action for public service.

From today, change-makers and legacy advocates across the globe will initiate and host activities within their communities in commemoration of Mr Mandela’s lifetime commitment to freedom and service to one’s fellow man. And while each year sees an increase in participation in Mandela Day activities across the planet, the poignant message of this year’s launch event was clear: Make EVERY day a Mandela Day.

Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO Sello Hatang highlighted the significance of Mandela Day as an event that honours South Africa’s late statesman and provides an opportunity for all to emulate his role as public servant.

“Mandela Day is not only about doing good, it is about service. It is an opportunity to build upon Mr Mandela’s lifelong belief that we must live to serve every day, in whatever we do,” he said.

This year’s Mandela Day launch is particularly symbolic in that it offers South Africans, and the world, an occasion to honour the ethos of the late Mr Mandela in the year that marks South Africa’s 20^th year of democracy.

Professor Njabulo Ndebele, Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, spoke about the positive impact such an event can have. “As part of a global community, South Africa can position itself as a shining example of what can happen when people come together to address social injustices and do good,” he said.

One man’s vision and journey provided the world’s change-makers with an opportunity to positively impact their communities, spirited by the belief that we live to serve every day. Indeed, Mr Mandela’s willingness to give up everything for freedom, equality, democracy and justice itself embodies the values of the United Nations, those of peace, freedom and human rights, and inspired the formal adoption of the Mandela Day campaign by the UN General Assembly in 2009.

“We celebrate his life as we endeavour to make peace a way of life around the world,” said Dr Agostinho Zacarias, the United Nations Resident Co-ordinator.

Fundamentally, Mandela Day creates an opportunity for the "haves" and "have nots" to work together to confront social ills within their communities and to build a better world. It evokes a broader ethos of service that opens Madiba’s legacy to interpretation, where people across the world can apply the theme of service in their own context.

“Nelson Mandela fought for social justice for 67 years of his life. It is not too much to ask that we devote 67 minutes of EACH day in EACH year to honour his lifelong legacy. This is a day that inspires all of humanity and reminds us of our public service to each other,” said South Africa’s Deputy President, Kgalema Motlanthe.

Speaking of the day as more that superficial "do-gooding", the Deputy President described the Mandela Day ethos as building cultures of service that inspire positive change in communities.

Themes for Nelson Mandela International Day 2014

“My wish is that South Africans never give up in the belief in goodness, that they cherish that faith in human beings as a cornerstone of our democracy.” – Nelson Mandela

The most vulnerable community members in any country are those who are hungry, those without adequate housing, and those who cannot read or write. Indeed, being deprived of life’s basic necessities is to be deprived of one’s dignity and one’s humanity.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation this year has identified key themes for Mandela Day activations around the world, namely: education and literacy, shelter and food security, and participation through volunteerism.

Nelson Mandela left the world’s citizens a simple instruction: “It is in your hands now.”

He said: “When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.”

Today we challenge all members of the global community to participate in “making every day a Mandela Day”.

As we remember the late iconic public servant, Nelson Mandela, the message is clear – each individual has the ability and responsibility to impact positive change every day.

Let’s spread the message of hope and action together.

Click here to view a gallery of images from the launch event.

Nelson Mandela International Day 2014 partners

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organisation working in close partnership with local communities in need. Through the provision of housing and by proactively mobilising active citizen engagement and community members, communities are empowered with the tools to forge their own paths for the future. Through leadership development and joint vision creation in a people-centred approach communities are enabled to bring about the changes they themselves want to see in their communities.

This year, Habitat for Humanity aims to build 67 houses in one week! In partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, International Nelson Mandela Build Week will run from 14 to 18 July 2014 in Pelican Park, the largest integrated development project in the Western Cape, and aims to build and deliver 67+ homes to those in need. To achieve this, Habitat needs your help and is asking for your support in helping to raise the required funding and also volunteering your time on-site to build the houses.

Click here to find out more about the project

Stop Hunger Now

Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa provides an opportunity to help eradicate hunger through a fun and fulfilling volunteer experience led by passionate people that supports a measurable, outcomes-based educational approach leading to powerful change. We offer a financially convenient corporate social investment opportunity that builds morale and creates a powerful impact at a reasonable cost.

This year, Stop Hunger Now invites all companies, government departments, embassies, consulates, service organisations, faith-based organisations and sports clubs to sponsor one or more packaging lines for R9 000, and to volunteer a team of between 20 and 25 people per line to package the meals. Volunteers can be drawn from your staff, clients or members of your company or organisation. You can also sponsor a line on its own, and we will find volunteers through a public volunteer drive. Teams will package in shifts of 67 minutes throughout the day.

Click here to book your spot. 

Kaya FM

On Sunday 13 July, a few days before Nelson Mandela International Day, Kaya FM will be hosting its second Kaya FM 67km Relay for Mandela Day at the polo fields, Waterfall Estate in Sunninghill, Gauteng. The 67km is in tribute to the 67 years that Madiba worked for the emancipation of South Africa, but the world will forever remember that our iconic statesman’s vision inspired a global movement for nations to do something good for those who are in need in our communities.

Click here to find out more about the event

Kaya FM was named a Legacy Partner of the Nelson Mandela Foundation when the station handed over proceeds raised from the Corporate Relay challenge to the Foundation’s Library project, whereby shipment containers are refurbished into libraries for disadvantaged schools, holding true to Madiba’s ethos towards education. The event aims to put the power of Kaya FM’s voice behind the Nelson Mandela Foundation's principles of reconciliation, peace and education.

Breadline Africa

Breadline Africa RSA, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, launched a project in 2011 that identified primary schools that were in dire need of library facilities. Since then, this has been achieved through the placing of repurposed shipping containers to supply an almost-instant library facility.

The innovation lies in the simplicity of the intervention, its cost-effectiveness and its scalability. Literacy levels and student retention at basic education is improved, and the long-term benefit is that more children complete high school, opening possibilities of tertiary education, and better employment prospects.

Click to read more about the Mandela Day libraries project

For more information on this project, please contact Jade Orgill on projects@breadlineafrica.org.za.

Tiger Brands

In December 2012, Tiger Brands and the Tiger Brands Foundation (TBF) embarked on a drive to alleviate food insecurity and to sustain school children during the long school holidays by distributing food parcels to the learners and their families. Over 29 940 food parcels have been distributed thus far by Tiger Brands through the Food Parcel Project, a partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

This year, together with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and DBE, we will again be distributing food parcels as part of Nelson Mandela International Day commemoration. Between the 26th and 27th of June 2014, 16 928 leaners and 69 caregivers from 13 non-fee paying schools in Alexandra, Gauteng, will benefit from the Food Parcel Project. The beneficiary schools are supported by TBF through their in-school breakfast feeding programme that was established in July 2011.

The food parcels that the learners and their families will receive will sustain them throughout the long June/July school holidays therefore making sure that the learners do not return to school malnourished.

For more information visit: www.tigerbrands.com

Notes to editors

Mandela Day campaign initiatives and partners

In recognising the work of some of the Mandela Day advocates and change-makers who have joined the Foundation’s call to action, it is necessary to share how we need to grow the momentum and support for Mandela Day through the restoration of human dignity and the connection of individuals and communities.

So how can you serve?

Any action, no matter how big or small, contributes towards the Mandela Day campaign objectives. Some key drivers and activities in the restoration and achievement of human dignity and community building include:

Education and literacy – South Africa’s democratic vision is about making it possible to give our youth a fighting chance. To give every person an opportunity. Leadership through Literacy – the Mandela Day Libraries and Literacy for Leadership initiatives speak to the above, and cover the provision of traditional and technological literacy programmes with skills development. Here I would like to acknowledge the continued work and contribution of organisations like Breadline, SAA, ACSA, PPC, KayaFM, GIA, AIG, RMB, ABSA, Nedbank, but to name a few.

Food security – The Nelson Mandela Foundation, in collaboration with partners such as Tiger Brands, Vodacom, DBE, Stop Hunger Now, Pick n Pay – has identified the distribution of food parcels as one of its core initiatives. Food insecurity is not just a global concern but is affecting South Africa, too. Through this initiative, the Foundation would like to challenge corporate South Africa and the donor community at large to distribute 670 000 food parcels between 2014 and 2016.

Shelter – The shelter security initiative brings people together to build homes, communities and a future. A home is instrumental in breaking the cycle if indignity from one generation to the next. The project is achieved through volunteers and the donor community, facilitated by various partners, including Habitat for Humanity. Let’s join Habitat and others in building our communities.

Trading Live – This is a special project introduction today which is about connecting people through service – this concept, pioneered by Rhodes University,  is premised on the basic idea that individuals give of their time to build new relationships of reciprocity in their communities. By making offers and requests to trade their skills, talents, interests or hobbies with other interested parties, participants form wide-ranging networks of connections based on community solidarity. The aim is to ignite new connections with existing Mandela Day partners like the City of Tshwane, City of Johannesburg, City of Cape Town, DHET, UNISA, Wits, UJ, UCT and their sister organisations and affiliates that can build long-term relationships founded on reciprocity, mutuality and respect. The Foundation would like to extend the project with Rhodes University to key metropoles locally and internationally, working with identified academic institutions and local government bodies to create platforms and practical opportunities for such connections.

Participation and Volunteerism – The global call to action for public service is covered by a number of existing and potential initiatives that covers the activities by publics in terms of giving of your time/self for the common good – a leg of the Mandela Day campaign, or general contributions and special Mandela Day events. This includes, amongst others, Bikers for Mandela Day Project, the KAYA FM 67km Relay for Mandela Day, Cycalive and TrekforMandelaDay.

Electronic press pack

The Mandela Day media page contains a library of downloadable resources for media, including logos, images, video and audio content, and fact sheets about the 2014/2015 Nelson Mandela International Day campaign.

For media enquiries contact

Danielle Melville: Director of Communications & Outreach
daniellem@nelsonmandela.org
Lee Davies: Communications Co-ordinator
leed@nelsonmandela.org