April 12, 2011– Zoleka and Zindzi Mandela, the granddaughter and daughter of Mr Nelson Mandela, are supporting the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 by helping to set up a scholarship for road safety in memory of 13-year-old Zenani Mandela, who tragically died in a car crash on the eve the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
Launching the Zenani Mandela Road Safety Scholarship, Zoleka Mandela said, “A crash robbed me of my daughter, a beautiful, bright 13-year-old who was full of energy and hope for the future.
“I will never recover from this, nor will my family. Parents and families should not have to be put through tragedies like this. All too often they are. My heart is already broken, but what makes this even worse is that so often road accidents are preventable.
“We must all support the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety – our children’s lives are at stake. It is our duty to end the suffering.”
Together with the Commission for Global Road Safety, which is a partner in coordinating the launch of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, these members of the Mandela family and the Nelson Mandela Foundation are announcing the scholarship at a high-level conference in London.
The scholarship will aim to help young South African policy makers tackle a growing epidemic of death and injury on their country’s roads. The initiative has been recognised by the Nelson Mandela Foundation as embodying the values promoted by Mr Mandela and as such will be officially included in Mandela Day this year. As Mr Mandela has said: “The world remains beset by so much human suffering… It is in your hands to make our world a better one for all.”
Each day 1 000 children and young people are killed in road accidents. Many thousands more are injured. In South Africa and worldwide, road accidents are already the biggest killer of young people over the age of 10. And by 2015, in developing countries, road traffic injuries will also be the biggest health burden for children over five years old.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), during the course of the decade, 5-million lives could be saved and 50-million serious injuries prevented if road safety programmes are implemented worldwide.
The launch of the UN Decade of Action which will take place next month on 11 May is being jointly organised by the WHO together with the FIA Foundation, an independent UK charity which runs the Commission for Global Road Safety.
Chairman of the Commission for Global Road Safety Lord Robertson said, “We desperately need to support our young leaders and help them develop the expertise to tackle the growing global epidemic of road casualties. Far too many children are killed and injured each day on the roads.
Too many families are suffering. No one should have to bear pain like that felt by the Mandela family. It is time for action.”
Notes to editors:
The Zenani Mandela Road Safety Scholarship, an initiative contributing to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, is being launched on 12 April 2011. It is being announced at the launch of the Make Roads Safe, Time for Action report of the Commission for Global Road Safety.
The launch announcement will take place at Banqueting House, Whitehall Palace, London 9am-1pm April 12, 2011.
For press accreditation please contact a.silverman@decadeofaction.org
The Zenani Mandela Road Safety Scholarship is being coordinated by the FIA Foundation charity together with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. It is part of the FIA Foundation Road Safety Scholarship Programme, which is set up in support of the UN Decade of Action, and serves to help build expertise and capacity to train road safety practitioners around the world. For further information and details of the scholarship.
Visit www.fiafoundation.org
The FIA Foundation is a UK registered charity working internationally to promote road safety and a major donor to innovative injury prevention programmes. The Foundation is also a leading advocate for road safety, coordinating the Commission for Global Road Safety, and the Make Roads Safe campaign which together proposed and led the call for a UN Decade of Action for Road Safety. It is partnering the World Health Organization in coordinating the launch of the UN Decade of Action.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation was established after Mr Nelson Mandela’s retirement on August 19, 1999 and leads the development of a living legacy that captures the vision and values of Mr Mandela’s life and work. Through the creation of strategic networks and partnerships, the Nelson Mandela Foundation directs resources, knowledge and practice to add value and demonstrate new possibilities.
The Foundation, through the Centre of Memory and Dialogue as its core work, contributes to the making of a just society by promoting the vision, values and work of its Founder and convening dialogue around critical social issues, while continuing to provide support to its Founder. Mandela Day, which will incorporate a focus on the Zenani Mandela Road Safety Scholarship, is on July 18.
Visit www.nelsonmandela.org
The United Nations Decade of Action will be launched with major national events in the UK, South Africa and in countries around the world on May 11 2011. The UN has asked national governments to issue new road safety strategies for the decade. The UN Decade of Action will promote a global programme to implement concrete measures to save 5-million lives over the coming 10 years. For further information.
Visit www.decadeofaction.org
Photos/film available at: www.makeroadssafe.org
Contact: Avi Silverman, a.silverman@decadeofaction.org +44 7967 229374