Celebration of Mandela Day in Estonia put off until August

Photo: JUDA NGWENYA/Reuters

South Africans living in Estonia planned a charity event at the SOS children's village in the town of Keila on Nelson Mandela International Day but decided to postpone the event until August.

The South African embassy in Helsinki that covers Estonia as well turned to the South Africans residing in Estonia with the request to organize a charitable event on Mandela Day, July 18.

There are two citizens of South Africa in Estonia who intended to team up with other volunteers to do the necessary maintenance and repair works at the Keila SOS children's village on that day.

The event will be put off until August, organizers told BNS. The reason for the postponement is that July is vacation time and many people are away from the village. The organizers want the event to take place at a time when children and their parents are at the village. For that reason the event will be pushed into August.

Nelson Mandela International Day is held since 2009 every year on July 18, the day the former president of South Africa was born, to honor his legacy and his values through volunteering and community service.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, a member of the Xhosa tribe, was born in 1918. He served as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.  

Before becoming president he was an activist of the anti-apartheid movement and was sentenced to prison for his activities in 1962 where he spent 27 years. During his imprisonment he became the symbol of the anti-apartheid movement. After leaving prison in 1990 he promoted reconciliation politics which helped the country in its transition into a democratic state. He was the first black South African to hold the office and the first elected in a fully representative, multiracial election.

In 1993 he received the joint Nobel Peace Prize with Frederik de Klerk.

Mandela is at present in a hospital in Pretoria in a critical state.