News / Africa
South Africans celebrate Mandela's 93rd birthday
18 Jul 2011 at 08:32hrs | Views
Millions of South Africans are set to celebrate former president Nelson Mandela's 93rd birthday.
His foundation has urged people to do 67 minutes of voluntary work on the day - to represent the 67 years he devoted to South Africa's political struggle.
Mandela Day, was inaugurated in 2009 on Nelson Mandela's birthday, 18 July, and declared an international day by the United Nations in November 2009. Mandela Day was inspired by a call made by Mandela for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world's social injustices.
As a result people around the world have been asked to mark the occasion by devoting 67 minutes of their time to work in their local community or one minute for every year of Mandela's public service.
As Mr Mandela is spending the day with his family in his home village of Qunu in the south of the country, this morning in South Africa, more than 12m school pupils sang a special version of 'Happy Birthday', to honour the leader.
Mandela spent 27 years in jail before he was released in 1990 and subsequently served one term as president from 1994 to 1999, he was only removed from US's list of terrorists recently.
Throughout his political career, the former leader has reiterated several times that, "it's in our hands" to create a better world and has insisted people can take inspiration from his example to take responsibility for themselves and to action their responsibility to others.
Despite years of struggle and imprisonment, Mandela remained optimistic and once famously said, "I am fundamentally an optimist." "Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair."
As a result, in South Africa, many organisations, companies, NGOs and individuals have come up with activities they will set up on this day, inspired they say by Mandela's vision and claim that that small steps can help build a better world.
Local politicians also vowed to do their 67 minutes of volunteer work and many contributed their views on Mandela's ability to inspire others.
Also, leaders from all over the world have also joined in, and complimented the world known figure.
His foundation has urged people to do 67 minutes of voluntary work on the day - to represent the 67 years he devoted to South Africa's political struggle.
Mandela Day, was inaugurated in 2009 on Nelson Mandela's birthday, 18 July, and declared an international day by the United Nations in November 2009. Mandela Day was inspired by a call made by Mandela for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world's social injustices.
As a result people around the world have been asked to mark the occasion by devoting 67 minutes of their time to work in their local community or one minute for every year of Mandela's public service.
As Mr Mandela is spending the day with his family in his home village of Qunu in the south of the country, this morning in South Africa, more than 12m school pupils sang a special version of 'Happy Birthday', to honour the leader.
Mandela spent 27 years in jail before he was released in 1990 and subsequently served one term as president from 1994 to 1999, he was only removed from US's list of terrorists recently.
Throughout his political career, the former leader has reiterated several times that, "it's in our hands" to create a better world and has insisted people can take inspiration from his example to take responsibility for themselves and to action their responsibility to others.
Despite years of struggle and imprisonment, Mandela remained optimistic and once famously said, "I am fundamentally an optimist." "Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair."
As a result, in South Africa, many organisations, companies, NGOs and individuals have come up with activities they will set up on this day, inspired they say by Mandela's vision and claim that that small steps can help build a better world.
Local politicians also vowed to do their 67 minutes of volunteer work and many contributed their views on Mandela's ability to inspire others.
Also, leaders from all over the world have also joined in, and complimented the world known figure.
Source - Byo24News
