Media Statement: Nelson Mandela Day 2022
From: Nelson Mandela Foundation
Date of Publication: 30 June 2022
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has themed Nelson Mandela Day 2022 around its food and nutrition programme, with the call, ‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are’. This year, the Foundation will be marking the day in Madiba’s home province of the Eastern Cape, together with Nelson Mandela University, Green Development Foundation and Shoprite.
There is increasing global consciousness about the interdependence of climate change and food insecurity, exacerbated by social inequality and poverty. Climate change is affecting the availability, accessibility, utilisation and affordability of food, which is experienced particularly by the vulnerable amongst us. Our call on Nelson Mandela Day 2022 is for all who support the campaign to participate in sustainable interventions such as promoting community and home gardens and supporting fruit and indigenous tree planting.
“The Nelson Mandela Foundation enjoys an interactive working relationship with Nelson Mandela University, consolidated since the institution was named in honour of our exemplary leader. This is premised on the alignment of the University’s values and principles with those espoused by Mandela. On 18 July 2022, we will visit the community of Zwide in Gqeberha, together, where we hope to create awareness on the intersections between food security and climate change, in a real, demonstrable way, grounded in local communities,” explains Sello Hatang, CEO of Nelson Mandela Foundation.
“We are united around the common purpose of social justice advocacy. We deploy our respective strengths, resources and capacities through collaborative endeavours informed by scholarship and research, and we converge together with communities on projects with a deliberate human rights focus,” adds Professor Sibongile Muthwa, Vice-Chancellor - Nelson Mandela University. “We have positioned the University to be in service of society, working collectively with the Foundation and people in communities to explore more deeply the possibilities linked to environmental, economic and social resources available where they live.
The programme for Nelson Mandela Day 2022, with partners, and other activities will be released in the coming weeks.
[ENDS]
Media Enquiries:
Morongwa Phukubye
Communications officer
Morongwap@nelsonmandela.org
+27 71 445 1892