November 26, 2009 – In the wake of the United Nations’ (UN) decision to declare July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has been inundated with emails from people who have welcomed the decision.
Nelson Mandela International Day – which falls on Mr Mandela’s birthday – is an international day of humanitarian action encouraging individuals and organisations to realise that changing the world for the better is in the hands of ordinary people everywhere and that big change starts with small actions.
This is the first time the UN has dedicated a day to a single individual.
“Nelson Mandela is not just for South Africa,” said the Foundation’s Communications and Information Manager Sello Hatang. “Nelson Mandela is for the world.”
Responses to the announcement have come flooding in to the Foundation from all over the world, from prominent businessmen and women, from leaders such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and from ordinary people.
South Africans are especially proud of the recognition being given to “Tata Madiba”, as Mr Mandela is fondly known to his countrymen.
“Congratulations to uTata uMadiba for the great work he has done for people of South Africa, Africa and the world at large. We are honoured to receive a note of this kind from the Nelson Mandela Foundation. We [hope] that uTata will enjoy this achievement together with people of South Africa. May the good Lord keep on blessing the icon and the legend of our country. We are proud to be associated with him,” said Raymond Mayiji, national manager of the CCEP at the Olive Leaf Foundation, in an email to the Foundation.
Stella Anyangwe, a representative with the World Health Organisation in Pretoria, wrote: “Hearty congratulations to the Foundation and to Tata Madiba! We are all proud of our illustrious and worthy son of Africa.”
People thanked the Foundation for its work and applauded the UN for its formal recognition of Mr Mandela’s life and legacy:
- “South Africa has been blessed with a personality of the stature of Mr Nelson Mandela and the United Nations’ unanimous resolution to declare July 18 as Nelson Mandela Day internationally is not only an honour for this great personality, but to the nation that he so deeply loves. Congratulations from the Protea Hotels team on such a unique achievement!” – Arthur Gillis, CEO, Protea Hotels
- “Great news from the UN – a bright day for SA and humanity. I’m so pleased to see this happen – Nelson [Mandela] has been a force for good, a force for positive change. But his real gift to humanity is the dawning recognition that there is a Nelson in each and every one of us … we need to work for the good of the whole. A Nelson Mandela Day is a positive step in helping us hold a good man uppermost in our minds and by so doing heighten our involvement with our local and global communities. Nelson gives one hope for humanity.” – Ron
- “The man never stops overwhelming the world!” – Mihloti Mathye, general manager: corporate social investment, Absa Bank
- “I fully embrace the Nelson Mandela Foundation philosophy. The [international recognition of] Mandela Day comes as no surprise and it is long overdue. The world is ecstatic about this announcement.” – Mfuniselwa J Bhengu, executive director, Centre for Economic Humanism
- “We are all proud that the resolution was unanimously adopted. The Africa Forum pays tribute to all those who worked towards this wonderful results.” – John Tesha, Africa Forum
- “This is great news for the human rights and pro-democracy movement worldwide. In passing this resolution, the UN does more credit to itself than it does to Nelson Mandela, whose standing as a world-historic figure is already assured.” – Kayode Samuel
Whether the messages were delighted, personal congratulations from individuals such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu (“Wonderful recognition from the international community. I think it is unprecedented and we are all basking in reflected glory. We hope it can serve as a beacon to some of us who appear to have lost our bearings. Much love and blessings.”), or formal acknowledgements from organisations (“We from the Usikolwethu Intellectual Heritage … humbly congratulate [Mr] Mandela for this. Indeed he deserves it. South Africa deserves it. We also humbly congratulate the Nelson Mandela Foundation for this achievement. God bless.” Mfuniselwa J Bhengu), they shared the common themes of heartfelt gratitude that Mr Mandela’s contribution to humanity will be celebrated each year.
Mr Mandela spent 67 years working for peace and social justice. Nelson Mandela International Day is a way to carry the spirit of his lifelong work forward and to spread his message that all of us can contribute to make the world better, not only once a year on July 18, but every day, however we can.