In this year marking the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s brith (July 18th, 1918), The Nelson Mandela Foundation is honouring Madiba with its “Be The Legacy” commemoration.
Alongside many other initiatives to celebrate Madiba’s legacy and spirit – including commemorative bank notes, new books looking at Mandela’s life and a planned visit from Barak Obama – the Foundation is collaborating with Philips South Africa on a campaign called Shave To Remember.
Launched last night in Sandhurst, Johannesburg, Shave To Remember calls on all South Africans and global citizens to “reignite the unwavering spirit of Madiba by recreating the iconic Madiba line”.
“The path that Madiba wore on his hair represents a long road that he walked, but more importantly, signifies the distance that still lies ahead for all of us that are left behind to continue the journey of freedom, peace and equality,” said Sello Hatang, Chief Executive of the Foundation.
“That is why we are inviting everyone to join this social movement of wearing his iconic cut with pride in remembrance, and why we call on each South African and beyond to find personal inspiration by living his values, and creating the absolute best version of our future.”
Philips and the Foundation are kicking off a shaving drive this Youth Day, June 16th and urging South Africans to get a haircut incorporating the Mandela line into their own style, take pictures of it and share it on the Shave To Remember website and social media, tagging it with #ShaveToRemember.
On Saturday June 30th, the two will host an event at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Johannesburg, bringing 30 local barbers together to offer Madiba’s iconic cut to all comers for six hours. They’ll also be giving away commemorative Mandela clippers (pictured above) at the event and on social media
Local artists including Sizwe ‘Reason’ Moeketsi, MsCosmo, Major League DJs and street drummers will provide the backdrop for a day to remember. Members of the public are invited and encouraged to come and participate.