Special day for Madiba goes global

NONI MOKATI

JOHANNESBURG - The Nelson Mandela International Day has been welcomed in South Africa.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, Nelson Mandela Foundation communications manager Sello Hatang said the organisation was happy that the day would be commemorated worldwide.

“We feel honoured by this resolution as this means that our efforts, as well as government’s, have paid off,” he said.

He pointed out that the day, on which communities are encouraged to spend 67 minutes in assisting others – was not just an ordinary one, but a continuous campaign that required every citizen to play their part in making a difference.

“It is not only about performing big deeds but remembering that it is through small efforts that we can all change the world,” he said.

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolved to name Mandela’s birthday, July 18, a Madiba International Day, saying it allows the international community to express its appreciation for “a great man” who suffered for the sake of people everywhere.

The ANC parliamentary caucus, which has also played an integral role in the Mandela Day initiative, said it would continue to be at the forefront of the Nelson Mandela Day activities by working with various communities to inculcate moral values and build a caring society through noble causes.