Take action to make world a better place
• The Nelson Mandela Foundation calls on people everywhere to ‘live the Madiba legacy’, writes Alf James
Every year on July 18 — the date Nelson Mandela was born — the United Nations (UN) joins a call by the Nelson Mandela Foundation to devote 67 minutes of time to helping others, as a way to mark Nelson Mandela International Day.
For 67 years Mandela devoted his life to the service of humanity — as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the first democratically elected president of a free SA.
In November 2009, the UN General Assembly declared July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.
General Assembly resolution A/RES/64/13 recognises Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity, in the fields of conflict resolution, race relations, the promotion and protection of human rights, reconciliation, gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups, as well as the upliftment of poor and underdeveloped communities. It acknowledges his contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.
Nelson Mandela International Day 2018 marks 100 years since the birth of Mandela (July 18 1918).
The centenary is an occasion to reflect on his life and legacy and to adhere to his call to “make of the world a better place”. The Nelson Mandela Foundation has called on people around the world on this year’s Mandela Day to “live the Madiba legacy”, honouring Mandela’s leadership and devotion to fighting poverty and promoting social justice for all.
According to the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Madiba saw himself first and foremost as a servant of SA’s people, to whom he felt he owed a duty, and whom he led by example.
“The genesis of our mandate as the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and our work, stems from Mandela’s passing on the torch of public service to everyone. ‘It is in your hands to make of our world a better one for all’, he said.
“Positive change was the gift left to all of us by Mandela, but it can only become a living legacy if we take up his challenge.
“In the spirit of Madiba and his vision to spread social justice and freedom for all, this is your chance to become part of a continuous global movement for good. Let us all emulate the servant leader we loved by becoming servant leaders ourselves — Madiba change-makers.
“By becoming someone who makes every day a Mandela Day by taking action against poverty, you can show others that actions speak louder than words,” says the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which encourages people to “Take Action! Inspire Change!”
The UN has emphasised Madiba’s statement: “It is in your hands to make of the world a better place”, so every year on Mandela Day, the UN asks people worldwide to take action and inspire change by making a difference in their communities.
Although individuals and organisations are free to participate in Mandela Day as they wish, the Nelson Mandela Foundation urges people to find inspiration for their contribution in the legacy of Mandela and to adhere to the ethical framework of “service to one’s fellow human”.
INSPIRE CHANGE
If you would like to donate your own time to public service, here are some things the UN encourages people to do to take action and inspire change:
Make a new friend. Get to know someone from a different cultural background. Only through mutual understanding can we rid our communities of intolerance and xenophobia.
Read to someone who can’t. Visit a local home for the blind and open up a new world for someone else.
Help out at the local animal shelter. Dogs without homes still need a walk and some love.
Help someone get a job. Put together and print a CV for them, or help them with their interview skills.
Many terminally ill people have no one to speak to. Take time to have a chat and bring some sunshine into their lives.
Get tested for HIV and encourage your partner to do so too.
Take someone you know, who can’t afford it, to get their eyes tested or their teeth checked.
Donate a wheelchair or guide dog to someone in need.
Buy a few blankets, or grab the ones you no longer need from home and give them to someone in need.
IN THE SPIRIT OF MADIBA … THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO BECOME PART OF A CONTINUOUS GLOBAL MOVEMENT FOR GOOD