Call to celebrate icon’s values
THIS year marks the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth. Madiba was a global icon, a fighter for freedom, equality, democracy, human rights and social justice; an exemplary leader, an outstanding humanitarian and a champion of reconciliation.
According to Mandela: “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
In the mould of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Madiba set the highest inspirational standards in terms of ethics, morality and integrity, which many of his successors have struggled to emulate.
The SA Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS) is co-ordinating the Hindu commemoration and celebration of the Mandela Centenary.
A planning meeting was held recently. The intention was to plan a collective effort to acknowledge and promote Mandela’s selfless humanitarian values, especially serving without expectation of reward (Nishkam Karma).
Mandela acknowledged Hindu influence in some of his ideals: “We are committed to building bridges and helping to embrace all of humanity under one umbrella and move forward in strength and confidence to a better future. We believe that this is not different from what Hindu scriptures have also been saying”.
Mandela was referring to the Hindu concept of Vasudev Kutambhakam – the world is one family – which is the Maha Sabha’s motto (MahaUpanishad, V. 71).
The SAHMS is encouraging all Hindu religious and cultural organisations to celebrate Mandela’s values and principles in their flagship events. The celebrations will be launched at the Maha Sabha’s Founder’s Day Hawan on June 3.
On June 24 the Arya Samaj South Africa will host a Maha Yagna in Isipingo and the theme is family unity.
The youth are planning a special conference to highlight Mandela’s values, as well as a special Bhakti Sangeet programme on Lotus FM.
They are also embarking on a research project to highlight Mandela’s values and how these relate to Hindu scriptures. The intention is to produce a booklet for public circulation, and which will also be incorporated in a newspaper supplement.
The Tongaat Hindu Unity Forum is organising a Youth Day with a fun run at the Outspan Ground in oThongathi on June 16.
On September 9, the Vedanta Kshetram is organising a youth conference to commemorate Mandela 100 and 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address (September 11, 1893).
Women’s Day events in August will incorporate a Mandela theme.
The Durban Diwali Festival 2018 will also incorporate various Mandela themes, from the float procession to the cultural items.
There is a common theme of exile and return in the Hindu scripture the Ramayan and Mandela’s life, as well as the aspirations of indentured labourers across the Indian diaspora.
The success of Mandela and his generation, as Professor William Gumede has argued, was “to turn the Struggle against apartheid into a moral struggle: in fact, to turn it into a global moral struggle. This strategy could not have succeeded without leaders with huge moral authority who, by their individual ethical and moral conduct, reinforced the moral dimensions of the Struggle”.
Mandela emphasised that “as long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest”.
Leaders across religious, political, business and civic sectors have a moral and ethical obligation to continue in Madiba’s footsteps and advance his legacy, and the Mandela Centenary Celebrations provide an ideal opportunity.