Mandela Foundation thanks public

2010-07-19 12:27

Johannesburg – The Nelson Mandela Foundation thanked members of the public on Monday for making the first Nelson Mandela International Day a success.

"It is particularly gratifying to see the huge number of individuals who took the initiative to contribute to communities and charities in a meaningful way," spokesperson Sello Hatang said.

People around the country spent time on charitable tasks for Mandela Day, including preparing meals and planting vegetable gardens for the needy.

Prominent figures also featured, with President Jacob Zuma joining birthday celebrations at Mvezo Royal Palace in the Eastern Cape and US actor Morgan Freeman building a fence at an HIV/Aids centre in Khayelitsha.

Internationally, Mandela Day was marked by events in centres such as New York, Madrid and London, as well as people everywhere giving 67 minutes of their time to make the world a better place for all.

"We would like people to remember that every day should be a Mandela Day."

People were asked to continue work within their communities and establish ongoing relationships with the various charities they had helped. The foundation would publish a report within a few days collating all the efforts made by the public.

The Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture on July 31 at Johannesburg's Linder Auditorium, would also highlight Madiba's legacy.

- SAPA