67 minuter för Nelson Mandela och en lite gladare värld

Tack vare Soili fick jag reda på att det är Nelson Mandela-dagen idag. Ett underbart initiativ — inte minst för alla hjälpstickare!

Såhär presenteras det på dagens egen webplats:

18 July 2013 marks the 95th birthday of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and the fourth Nelson Mandela International Day.

After Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebrations in London’s Hyde Park in 2008 where he said “It is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now,” Mandela Day was born. The United Nations officially declared 18 July as Nelson Mandela International Day in November 2009.

It’s a simple message: Mr Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for social justice and human rights. The Mandela Day campaign asks that individuals, groups and corporates use just 67 minutes of their time on 18 July and everyday thereafter to give back. This can be by supporting a charity or serving the community – no matter how small the action, the aim is to change the world for the better, just as Mr Mandela has.

Mandela Day initiatives taking place this year focus on but are not limited to Shelter, Literacy and Food Security. South African celebrities like Bonang Matheba, Joan Ramagoshi, Gareth Cliff, Danny K, Kabelo and Proverb support the campaign to spread a message of hope and action that each individual can honour this great South African statesman.

Nelson Mandela International Day is about individuals around the globe giving 67 minutes of their time to make a change in their community and thus, the world: some will take food to disadvantaged people; visit old age homes; read to children in an orphanage, thereby helping to make ubuntu a reality.

Messages of support have come from leaders such as Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama and Richard Branson. Organisations and companies which have pledged their support as partners of Mandela Day 2013 include Bikers for Mandela Day, Cheese Kids, Meals on Wheels, Pick ’n Pay, Rooms to Read, Stop Hunger Now, SAA, Tiger Brands, Kaya FM, Lead SA, Ekurhuleni East College, Association for Persons with Disabilities Free State and Trek4Mandela.

A member of the African National Congress (ANC) since 1944, Mr Mandela was arrested on 5 August 1962 and in 1964 sentenced to life imprisonment. After his release on 11 February 1990 he became South Africa’s first democratically elected President, led a reconciliation process that caught the imagination of the world, and continued to campaign for peace, unity and equality among all South Africans, regardless of race, gender, religion or cultural background.

67 minutes is a small price to pay to honour a man so loved by so many around the world.

Start now – practice ’Mandela Deeds’ daily: Take action, inspire change and Make every day a Mandela Day!

Här kan man läsa om en del av allt som händer. Soili meddelar att hon tänker virka bindor till Manduar i 67 minuter — heja! Jag tror att jag ska gå till posten med ett par leksakslådor som jag har packat till asylsökande barnfamiljer i Värmland, men jag hinner nog sticka lite också. Fler som vill vara med?