South Africa and the entire world will be celebrating 100 years since the birth of a great legendary statesman and Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela.
Born on July 18, 1918 in Mvezo South Africa, the late Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist, who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.
Tomorrow, wednesday July 18th 2018, former united states president, Barack Obama Sr. will be guest speaker during the centenary celebrations for the deceased South Africa’s ex-President birthday celebrations.
Obama will set the tone for the celebrations with a speech in Johannesburg today July 17 that aides say will be his most important public address since leaving the White House in 2017.
Obama will also host a town hall event on July 18 for 200 young leaders selected from across Africa to attend a five-day training programme.
The former US president met Mandela only briefly in 2005 but gave a eulogy at his funeral saying Mandela “makes me want to be a better man” and hailing him as “the last great liberator of the 20th century”.
Mandela, who died in 2013, remains a global icon for his long fight against white-minority rule and for his message of peace and reconciliation when he was released after 27 years in prison.
His birthday is marked annually around the world, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation called this year for people to “take action and inspire change” in Mandela’s name.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said he would mark “Mandela 100” by donating half of his salary to charity in honour “the great sacrifices he made and his tireless commitment to improving the lives of the most vulnerable.”
Among the many events marking the anniversary are a walk in Johannesburg led by Mandela’s widow Graca Machel, the release of letters that Mandela wrote from his prison cell and the printing of a commemorative banknote.
Climbers will be heading up Mount Kilimanjaro, motorcyclists are undertaking a charity ride and a programme to build 100 school libraries will be launched, alongside a series of exhibitions, music festivals and sports events.
The year commemorating Mandela’s birth will finish with a concert in Johannesburg in December starring Beyonce, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams and Cassper Nyovest.
Mandela was imprisoned under white-minority apartheid rule from 1962 and 1990 before he led the African National Congress party to victory in the first multi-race elections in 1994.
He served one term as president before stepping down in 1999.
The title of Obama’s Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture is “Renewing the Mandela Legacy and Promoting Active Citizenship in a Changing World.” Former speakers include Bill Clinton, Thabo Mbeki, Kofi Annan, Bill Gates and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
