Look To The Stars News: Nelson Mandela Foundation

Serena Williams Named As UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:35:00 +0000

UNICEF today announced tennis champion Serena Williams’s appointment as international Goodwill Ambassador.

Williams is one of the all-time greats of professional tennis, having achieved a decade-long dominance of the game. While she is best known for her power and finesse in competition, her generous philanthropic endeavors off the court are just as dynamic.

UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake welcomed Williams to the UNICEF family today at the 2nd Annual Social Good Summit in New York City.

Stephen Fry Attends Celebrity Charity Event For Freddie Mercury's Birthday

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Stephen Fry, Fearne Cotton and Matt Lucas were some of the stars who turned out at a charity event in London on Monday to celebrate the 65th birthday of the late great Freddie Mercury.

Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor also attended the event – held at the Savoy Hotel – to raise money for the Mercury Phoenix Trust.

“Freddie would have been 65 this year, and even though physically he is not here, his presence seems more potent than ever,” wrote Queen guitarist Brian May in a special Google Blog. “Freddie made the last person at the back of the furthest stand in a stadium feel that he was connected. He gave people proof that a man could achieve his dreams—made them feel that through him they were overcoming their own shyness, and becoming the powerful figure of their ambitions. And he lived life to the full. He devoured life. He celebrated every minute. And, like a great comet, he left a luminous trail which will sparkle for many a generation to come.”

Be Freddie Mercury For A Day For Charity

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0000

The unique opportunity to invest in some of the most prized Freddie Mercury and Queen related memorabilia presents itself next month as part of the grand plans being made by former band mates Brian May and Roger Taylor and Freddie’s own family to celebrate the late singer’s 65th birthday on September 5th.

Nelson Mandela Charity Announces Clothing Brand

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:30:00 +0000

46664 has announced that it will soon be releasing a special clothing brand.

Speaking at a press conference, 46664 board member Achmat Dangor encouraged people to buy the new clothing line:“When you buy a 46664 shirt, you are not just buying apparel, you are investing in a process that will help spread the legacy of Nelson Mandela by supporting the long-term sustainability 46664. You will also be empowering young people in communities out there and creating a platform for global change.”

Nelson Mandela: Conversations With Myself

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:30:00 +0000

The Nelson Mandela Foundation is proud to announce that a new book by Nelson Mandela, Conversations with Myself, will be released worldwide in 22 editions and 20 languages from October 12, 2010.

With a foreword by President Barack Obama, Conversations with Myself is an intimate journey from the first stirrings of Mr Mandela’s political consciousness to his galvanising role on the world stage. It is a rare chance to spend time with Nelson Mandela the man, in his own voice: direct, clear and private.

Compiled by the Nelson Mandela Foundation Centre of Memory and Dialogue, Conversations with Myself gives readers access to the private man behind the public figure: from letters written in the darkest hours of Mr Mandela’s twenty-seven years of imprisonment to the draft of an unfinished sequel to his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom.

NBA Star Pau Gasol Visits Ethiopia For UNICEF

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

LA Lakers star Pau Gasol was in Ethiopia recently with UNICEF to visit education, nutrition and child protection programs in the country.

The basketball star – who has been an Ambassador for UNICEF Spain since 2003 – took the time to visit the construction site of a school in the village of Buko being built with the support of UNICEF, Schools For Africa, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Hamburg Society for the Promotion of Democracy and International Law.

“There are many kids that have to work at an early age to bring home some money so the family can have something to eat and can survive,” he said. “It’s crucial that we continue to fight for the rights of the children, for the right to receive an education.”

Nelson Mandela Foundation To Host Charity Dinner

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Working to keep Nelson Mandela’s legacy alive, the Nelson Mandela Foundation is hosting a Legacy Gala Dinner at the Sandton Convention Centre this July.

Coined as a premiere event during the 2010 World Cup, the dinner is a result of a partnership between the Foundation, World Fashion Month, Anglo Platinum and African Fashion International.

The Legacy Gala Dinner will showcase unique fashion and jewellery and feature great African entertainment. Guests are asked to buy seats or tables to the event and to participate in an auction of exclusive items.

Bill Clinton Supports Nelson Mandela Day

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Former US President Bill Clinton spoke at the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Centre of Memory and Dialogue last week in support of Mandela Day on July 18.

Mandela Day is a day of public service when members of the public are encouraged to do something good for at least 67 minutes in honour of more than 67 years that Nelson Mandela dedicated to public service and the fight for social justice.

President Clinton spoke about the need for Nelson Mandela Day and encouraged people to embrace the day of service on Nelson Mandela’s birthday July 18.

VIP Tickets To Mandela Day Concert Available

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation announced this week that a number of extra VIP tickets are available for the Mandela Day concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The concert forms part of the celebrations for Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday on July 18, 2009 at 8pm.

Mandela Day serves as a global call for people to recognize their individual power to help change the world for the better.

The concert will feature performances by Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean and many more. Special guests include Whoopi Goldberg, Forest Whitaker, Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon and Susan Sarandon.

Forest Whitaker Gets Behind Mandela Day

Fri, 15 May 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Forest Whitaker joined a host of celebrities at an event yesterday to raise awareness of Mandela Day, an annual celebration of Nelson Mandela’s life and a global call to action for people to recognize their individual power to make an imprint and change the world around them.

Yesterday’s event was held in Los Angeles and was attended by stars such as Morgan Freeman, Clint Eastwood, Marisa Tomei, Sharon Stone, Noah Wyle, Alfre Woodard and Viola Davis.

Nelson Mandela has been making an imprint on the world for 67 years, beginning in 1942 when he first started to campaign for the human rights of every South African. The annual celebration is being created to inspire others to embrace Nelson Mandela’s values as they seek to improve their lives through service to their communities. 46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation are calling on people around the world to support the creation of an official Mandela Day, to be held annually on July 18, Mr. Mandela’s birthday.

Nelson Mandela Honored With Leadership Award

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Nelson Mandela was unanimously selected as the first-ever recipient of the Club of Madrid Democratic Leadership Award on December 15.

The award was presented to the former South African president in a private ceremony at the Nelson Mandela Foundation headquarters in Houghton, a suburb of Johannesburg. According to the Club of Madrid, the honor – just established this past November – is to “recognize and promote ethical and courageous leadership that translates visions of a democratic society into practical action for the benefit of millions of people around the world.”

Mandela became an anti-apartheid activist in 1948, when the National Party of South Africa – a supporter of racial segregationist policies – came into power. He was arrested in 1962 on charges of sabotage against the government, and spent the next twenty-seven years in prison, refusing early release at the expense of giving up the struggle for a post-apartheid South Africa. Following his release from prison, Mandela won the country’s first multi-racial election in 1994 and served as President until 1999.

Bracelet Celebrates Life Of Nelson Mandela

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:30:00 +0000

A special new bangle has been released to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday and raise funds for his 46664 Foundation.

Luxury brand Montblanc created the bracelet, which is available in available in platinum, silver and gold. The outside of the stylish piece of jewlery bears the famous digits that were Mandela’s prison cell number during his 27 year stay in jail in South Africa, and it also features a 3-D imprint of his hand. Each bracelet was carefully crafted by local South African craftsmen affected by HIV/AIDS.

“Montblanc North America is very honored to be a part of this major

Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday Party Rocks London

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Hyde Park was transformed into a giant birthday bash Friday night as 46,664 people joined “birthday boy” Nelson Mandela and a stellar lineup of entertainers to raise funds and awareness for his 46664 charity.

It had been raining on and off all day in London, but the skies cleared just in time for the once-in-a-lifetime lineup of musicians and entertainers to take the stage in honor of Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday. The event was hosted by an enthusiastic Will Smith, and performers included Jivan Gasparyan, Razorlight, the cast of Into the ’Hoods, Sipho Mibuze, Leona Lewis, Zucchero, Suzanna Owiyo and D’Gary, Sugababes, Annie Lennox (who performed with the Agape Children’s Choir), Emmanual Jal, Vusi Mahlasela, Jamelia, Loyiso, Johnny Clegg, Joan Baez, Eddy Grant, Kurt Darren, Simple Minds, Brian May and Andrea Corr, Amy Winehouse, 9ice and Bebe Cool, Josh Groban, Amaral, and Queen and Paul Rodgers. The renowned Soweto Gospel Choir accompanied many of the acts. Additional entertainers who introduced the musical acts included Quincy Jones, Lewis Hamilton, Geri Halliwell, Peter Gabriel, Stephen Fry, and Jerry Dammers.

After Jivan Gasparyan opened the show with an instrumental piece to accompany a moving series of photographs of Mandela, Will Smith took to the stage with his wife Jada and announced, “The party starts now.” An energizing performance by Razorlight set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Celebrities Listen For Disadvantaged Children

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:33:55 +0000

A huge and exciting new global media campaign has kicked off to raise awareness and funds for some of the world’s most disadvantaged children.

The Listen Campaign is the result of seven years work and research, and is being supported by a host of celebrities who want the public to listen to the rights and needs of children affected by poverty, disease, natural disaster, exploitation, war, and AIDS in places such as Africa, America, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

“Listen is an annual global media campaign bringing together some of the finest creative artists in film, music, and the arts to raise awareness and funds for 200 children’s charity projects around the world, and to develop a worldwide community of supporters,” said Tony Hollingsworth, Executive Producer of the campaign.

Mandela Hopes Spice Girls Will Reunite For Charity Birthday Party

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:36:56 +0000

British newspaper The Mirror reported that Nelson Mandela is keen to reunite the Spice Girls for a charity party on July 28 to celebrate his 89th birthday.

A source was quoted as saying, “It would make Nelson’s day if the girls performed,” and confirmed that individual invitations have been sent to the former band members Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Melanie C and Melanie Brown.

Since his retirement from the South African presidency in 1999, Mandela has devoted his remaining years to peace and charity work through his Nelson Mandela Foundation, and his birthday has even been trademarked for charity.