Uniting to Celebrate Mandela
Today, July 18, 2013, the United Nations recognizes NelsonMandela International Day. Thisday is meant to commemorate and celebrate the leader’s 95th birthdayand to honor his dedication to social justice.
The UN and the Nelson Mandela Foundation are coming together touse this day to “Take Action, Inspire Change” and are volunteering 67 minutesto help others in a hospital, tutoring children, providing food for thehomeless, etc.
This is recognized as the “67-minutes” campaign and its missionis to get people to devote one minute of their time for every year that NelsonMandela devoted to public service.
The UN General Assembly in New York is meeting to mark this Day.“Speakers will include former United States President Bill Clinton, ReverendJesse Jackson, singer, actor and social activist Harry Belafonte, and AndrewMlangeni, a close friend of Mr. Mandela who was imprisoned with him” (UN Wire News).
“As we extend our bestwishes to President Mandela on his 95th birthday, let us also give tangiblemeaning to our feelings of concern by taking action on behalf of others,”states Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (UNWire News).
It only seems fitting that we commemorate this Day as we uniteto admire this man who has done so much in his lifetime for the sake ofhumanity.
Story thanks to UN Wire News