July 16, 2003
By Jonews Reporter
INTERNATIONAL dignitaries, heads of state, musicians, Hollywood stars and royalty descend on Johannesburg this weekend to wish former president Nelson Mandela a happy birthday.
Mandela's 85th birthday is set to be a global event that will be marked by millions. Always the activist, Mandela will be using his birthday to further some of the causes he cares most about - world peace, justice, the plight of the youth and combating HIV/Aids.
Although the former president, who never seems to slow down, will spend most of his actual birthday with his family, his worldwide community of fans and admirers are also claiming some of his time.
His amazing life story and remarkable wisdoms will be spread around the world for millions to imbibe. And there are plenty of events scheduled for the next few days to mark the life of the world's most famous ex-prisoner.
Mandela in conversation
Mandela, who needs no introduction around the world, is scheduled to address two billion young people via an MTV special broadcast on the eve of his birthday, July 18, for the launch of the 2003 Staying Alive HIV/Aids Awareness Campaign.
The programme gives a historical overview of Mandela's life and records his conversations about Aids, democracy, reconciliation and war with four youths - an HIV-positive Aids activist from Uganda, a Burmese activist for democracy, and an Israeli and Palestinian who have both suffered losses - who were flown to Johannesburg to speak to him.
Birthday messages of all shapes and sizes
On the actual day, Mandela will spend most it with his family and then he will receive special birthday messages, including: a rendition of 'Happy Birthday' by the South African Airforce band which will perform at 8.00am outside his Houghton home; birthday good wishes from a group of disabled children at 10am; and at 12 noon the Springbok rugby team will arrive to sing 'Happy Birthday. Mandela will spend the rest of the day with his family, children and grandchildren.
On Saturday morning, former US president Bill Clinton will deliver the inaugural Nelson Mandela lecture, now scheduled to be an annual event, to an audience of 1 000 at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre.
Mandela's wife Graca Machel will open the lecture, which according to John Samuel, chief executive of the Mandela Foundation, will "provide a forum for the critical consideration of challenging social issues that confront us in the 21st Century. The lecture will reach a far larger audience by television broadcast and live feed to all higher institutions in the country."
Let the party begin!
Later in the evening the real celebrations will begin with a banquet of 1 600 guests held in his honour at the Sandton Convention Centre. Dignitaries, presidents, royalty, celebrities - including several Hollywood stars - politicians, friends and family will be attending, as well Mandela's gardener and cook.
According to his spokesperson Zelda la Grange, all those people who have a special relationship with Mandela will be there. The guests, expected to arrive from 6.30pm, will receive red-carpet treatment
Clinton, his wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea will attend the banquet, as will Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Celebrities likely to be there include Oprah Winfrey, actor Robert De Niro, supermodel Naomi Campbell and singers Barbara Streisand, Michael Jackson, Bono (from U2) and Stevie Wonder.
International and local stars will be performing at the bash, with Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Sibongile Khumalo, P J Powers and Ladysmith Black Mambazo forming part of the South African line-up. Other South African personalities on the guest list include Desmond Tutu, Basetsana Kumalo and Khanyi Dhlomo, accompanied by IT billionaire Mark Shuttleworth. The event will be broadcast live around the continent by SABC.
Nelson Mandela bridge opens
On Sunday 20 July the long-awaited opening of the Nelson Mandela Bridge, linking Braamfontein and Newton, will take place in a day of high celebration around Johannesburg. Mandela himself is expected to officially open the largest cable-stayed bridge in southern Africa. As a man who has spent his life building bridges between people, there is surely no candidate more deserving to be the bridge's namesake.
The Blue IQ Joburg City Challenge, a half-marathon race, will be held to coincide with the opening of the spectacular bridge, which will handle two lanes of traffic, two pedestrian walkways and a cycle path. Money raised by the marathon will go to Siyawela Community Childcare, a counselling service for children affected by HIV/Aids, run by Hope Worldwide.
A festival of activities - dance, music, crafts, food and drink - will be on offer in Newtown, where the bridge opening will also mark the launch of Newtown's many new offerings.
Long live, Madiba, long live!
