Nelson Mandela Foundation Chief Executive Achmat Dangor23 May, 2011 – Today saw the second official launch of Mandela International Day, which takes place annually on July 18, Mr Mandela’s birthday. The launch, which was held at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, saw eight university students from around the country expressing what Mr Mandela means to them, and what individuals can do on Mandela Day.
Nelson Mandela Foundation Chief Executive Achmat Dangor opened the launch by giving a reminder of Mr Mandela’s message to all South Africans. “At Madiba’s 90th birthday celebrations at Hyde Park in London he walked on stage and all of us expected him to say the slogan ‘It’s in our hands’,” said Dangor. “But he changed it, and said ‘It’s in your hands’. He told us afterwards that he did that deliberately, so that the responsibility for addressing the world’s ills is passed on to the next generation of leaders.”
Mr Mandela’s great-grandson, Luvuyo MandelaMr Mandela’s great-grandson, Luvuyo Mandela, spoke at the launch. “To have an event for Mandela Day which is internationally recognised is another accolade for my great-grandfather,” he said, adding that particpation on the day did not necessarily need extensive media coverage. “It doesn’t have to be splashed across the papers and the news channels. The little that you do in helping someone – that’s enough.”
Eight university students were invited to share their views. As Nelson Mandela Foundation media spokesperson Sello Hatang explained, “The Foundation has been missing the element of youth.” The students expressed what Madiba meant to them, and also shared their previous Mandela Day experiences.
Osmond Mlonyeni from Rhodes University said he and some friends went to help at a rehabilitation home for street kids. “We went there and cleaned their rooms,” he said. “The kids came home to a clean place, and found presents under their pillows.” He later added, “I’m part of project where I tutor learners on a daily basis.”
Maurice Nchacha from the University of Johannesburg also does his bit every Mandela Day. “Each and every July we go out and we create some sort of plan to teach basic education around HIV to kids.”
The students emphasised the need to identify and help communities, saying that Mr Mandela had shown the way. “He walked the ‘long walk to freedom’,” said Amelia Mogashoa, from the University of the Witwatersrand. “We don’t have to walk that walk. We just have to walk next door and say ‘Hi’ to our neighbours.”
Dr Zacarias from the United Nations gave an addressHead of the United Nations regional office, Dr Agostinho Zacarias, spoke about the United Nations’ recognition of Mandela Day as an international event. “We are very excited to participate in celebrating Mandela International Day. He’s an icon, not only in South Africa, but we celebrate him globally. The values that he stood for are not only values for South Africans, but are values for all of humanity.”
Dr Zacarias meets the university students
Osmond Mlonyeni and Comfort Ndala, two of the students who spoke at the launch
Praise poet Jessica Mbangeni