Det svarer til et minut for hvert år, som den nu 95-årige Nelson Mandela har viet sit liv til offentlig tjeneste – en legendarisk person, der inspirerede millioner af mennesker verden over og fortsat vil gøre det.
NEW YORK, 18 July 2013 (UN News Service): The United Nations Thursday marked Nelson Mandela International Day, celebrating the South African leader’s 95th birthday and honouring his dedication to public service, social justice and reconciliation, inspiring millions around the world.
To commemorate the Day, the UN joined a call by the Nelson Mandela Foundation to “Take Action, Inspire Change” to volunteer 67 minutes to helping others by volunteering in a hospital, tutoring a child, providing food for the homeless, or any other community service.
The “67-minutes” campaign is based on people devoting one minute of their time for every year that Mr. Mandela devoted to public service, as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the first democratically-elected President of post-apartheid South Africa.
This year, UN staff in New York will volunteer their time to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Sandy last fall.
Also at Headquarters in New York, the General Assembly held a special meeting to mark the Day. Speakers included former United States President Bill Clinton, Reverend Jesse Jackson, singer, actor and social activist Harry Belafonte, and Andrew Mlangeni, a close friend of Mr. Mandela who was imprisoned with him.
“This year’s commemoration of Nelson Mandela International Day comes at a moment of deep reflection on the life and work of Madiba, as the universally revered leader remains in the hospital,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for the Day, adding:
“As we extend our best wishes to President Mandela on his 95th birthday, let us also give tangible meaning to our feelings of concern by taking action on behalf of others.”
Læs videre på
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45438&Cr=Mandela&Cr1=#.UehoAmVqr4s
Begynd fra: “The heart of Nelson Mandela International Day is good works for people and the planet. Its….”
Se også opfølgende story på
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45451&Cr=Mandela&Cr1=
