Masai Ujiri hosts Nelson Mandela benefit in Toronto

Masai Ujiri was joined by a number of celebrity friends and business leaders in Toronto to honour his hero, Nelson Mandela, and raise funds for Giants of Africa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation

On 19 June 2014, the president and general manager of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, was joined by a number of celebrity friends and business leaders in Toronto to honour his hero, Nelson Mandela, and raise funds for Giants of Africa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

The event, Madiba: An Evening Honouring Nelson Mandela, celebrated the life and legacy of the late former president of South Africa as special guests shared how he had touched their lives.

Guests included Wolf Blitzer of CNN, actor Danny Glover, Raptors players DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Amir Johnson, Raptors coach Dwane Casey and Luol Deng of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Singer and songwriter Aloe Blacc performed his hit songs Wake Me Up and The Man, while Montreal-based Lorraine Klaasen, daughter of South African musical legend Thandi Klaasen, performed Shosholoza, a song often referred to as South Africa’s second national anthem.

NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo was recognised for his lifelong contributions to peace and prosperity in Africa.

“Nelson Mandela was an inspiration to Africa, and to the world, and now we have the chance to come together to celebrate his life and positive influence while raising money for two organisations that will ensure his legacy lives on,” said Ujiri. “Madiba’s impact transcends borders, cultures and time. Let us join with people from all walks of life to remember him and ensure his lessons live on.”

Nelson Mandela foundation Trustee, Tokyo Sexwle, with Foundation CEO Sello Hatang and film producer Anant Singh at the evening event

Prior to the event in the distillery district in the evening, Ujiri, Casey and Johnson visited Toronto’s Nelson Mandela Public School to share Mandela’s story with future generations. They were joined by Amadou Fall, vice-president of NBA Africa, and Mutombo.

In 2003, African-born Ujiri wanted to make a difference for children in Africa, using basketball as a tool. He founded Giants of Africa, an organisation whose mission is to use the game as a means to educate and enrich the lives of the youth in Africa as it provides quality facilities, coaching and instruction.

Apartheid stalwarts and friends of Madiba, Tokyo Sexwale and Anant Singh (producer of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) together with Sello Hatang, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, were special guests at the tribute event.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation contributes to a society which remembers its pasts, listens to all its voices, and pursues social justice in order to promote peace, human rights and democracy in honour of legacy leaders like Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Maya Angelou, Martin Luther King and others.

Click here to view the gallery of images from the evening event

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