Nelson Mandela Day was first conceived following the 90th birthday celebrations presented by 46664 in London’s Hyde Park in June 2008. Nelson Mandela’s address to the crowds emphasized that our work is far from done: ‘We say tonight, after nearly ninety years of life, it is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now’. Launched in New York in 2009, Nelson Mandela Day (his birthday, July 18) is an annual celebration of his legacy and the ongoing work of his charitable organizations. Nelson Mandela Day intends to educate and promote the values that have come to embody Nelson Mandela’s life and work — freedom, democracy, equality, reconciliation, diversity, responsibility and respect.

Nelson Mandela Day will be celebrated henceforth in South Africa each year and in a selected international host city. This year the exhibition celebrating this day was shown in Maponya Mall in Soweto.