First Annual Nelson Mandela Day

18 July saw the world giving 67 minutes of their time to change the world

There are few people who can motivate change and get, not only their own nation, but the world to stand up and start making a difference. Nelson Mandela is one of a handful of highly respected leaders who are able to inspire people to see themselves as a citizen of the world dedicated to making the world a better place.

On 18 July citizens of the world dedicated 67 minutes of their time to help someone less fortunate than themselves. Everyone from your next door neighbor to Bill Clinton donated their time to helping others. Here’s what they did and how they did it:

In New York Former US President Bill Clinton hosted an exclusive Mandela Day Gala Dinner at the Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday evening, ahead of Mandela Day.

According to the Mandeladay website, Graca Machel-Mandela attended the event to mark her husband's birthday, together with Nelson Mandela's daughter and grandson.

New York City was the centre of celebrations this year, with citizens taking up the global call to create a better world by realising their individual power to make a difference.

On Tuesday, volunteers sorted more than 50 boxes of donated clothing and shoes at the AIDS Service Centre, while New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other volunteers helped bag food for hungry families with City Harvest at Union Square Park.

David Beckham’s Major League Soccer team, the LA Galaxy, took on the New York Red Bulls in a tribute match commemorating Mandela Day.

South Africans also did their part by donating their time and effort to worthy causes around the country President Jacob Zuma celebrated Nelson Mandela Day with older persons, from all over the country, at a service delivery outreach party in Ivory Park. Several ministers did community work in the provinces, including planting vegetable gardens, fixing water pipes and refurbishing police stations and schools.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF), held a special performance from the National Ceremonial Guard Band at Church Square, Pretoria earlier on Friday. Other SANDF units and SANDF members marked Mandela Day in their own special way by embarking on special projects, or joining other established Mandela Day initiatives.

A group of South African students, aged between 1 and 19, acted as 46664 youth ambassadors promoting the spirit of Mandela Day in their own communities, and encouraged their peers to adopt the principles of the Mandela Day Student Charter.

A special sixty seven minute children's concert was organised, in celebration of Madiba, at Nelson Mandela Squire in Sandton Johannesburg. The event had performances by Siyabonga Magungu, Zuko Catu and the Ridge School's marimba band. At the end of the celebration, kids were taught the famous Madiba dance by a dancing hippo.

No matter how big or how small the contribution, people around the world came together to make a difference this past week. With the exceptional success of the first Mandela Day, the ‘holiday’ looks set to keep people inspired year after year.

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