The Hangout: One love
Mandela Day is around the corner, and with it comes the Mandela Day Campaign. It is a call to action for people everywhere to spread love and kindness for 67 minutes on the day. These 67 minutes represent the 67 years that Madiba devoted his life to fighting for human rights, justice, and the abolition of apartheid.
We still feel the ripple effects of apartheid today because every action has a reaction. As hard as it has been to heal our beautiful country and its beautiful people, to mend broken fences and broken hearts, it has also been incredible to witness how far we've come as a colourful, vibrant, shining rainbow nation. I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert when it comes to complicated topics like politics or religion, which often stir up strong feelings. But what I do know is this. For the most part, we South Africans are a kind, caring, loving bunch. We are a people of heart. We come together to help. We come together to uplift. And we always seem to find a way to keep going, even when times are tough.
So please mark your calendars for 18 July, the day we celebrate Nelson Mandela's birthday. There is something incredibly special about that date, and not just because of Madiba. Some remarkable people share a birthday with our beloved former president. The late Piet Botha, a gentle giant in the music world, was one of them. He quietly supported and uplifted so many within the industry, bringing people together in a way that only he could. The world has felt a little dimmer since his light went out.
Another soul born on this day is Cito, the lead singer of Wonderboom, an amazing band that has been rocking us since the mid-nineties. Cito does more for animal welfare than anyone I know. He is also deeply committed to helping his fellow musicians and the music industry at large. Most of what he does, he does quietly and without fuss. In my opinion, that kind of quiet service makes him another very special kind of angel walking among us.
Since 2010, when the United Nations officially declared 18 July as Nelson Mandela International Day, people all over the world have been encouraged to take action and make a difference in their communities. If you are looking for ways to get involved this year, you can visit www.mandeladay.com to sign up and find out more about the Mandela Day Walk and Run. This year, it is all happening on 19 July at DP World Wanderers Stadium. It is a great way to do something meaningful and stay healthy at the same time.
Another amazing initiative that perfectly captures the spirit of Mandela Day is 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day. Head over to www.67blankets.co.za to see how you can join the wonderful 'KnitWits' in helping those whose lives have been affected by poverty and crime. Since its beginning, this project has distributed over 180,000 handmade blankets and hundreds of thousands of scarves to people in need. It has also set four Guinness World Records along the way. Wow.
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