.Mandela Day
Mandela Day is celebrated on 18 July every year with the idea being to take action, inspire change and make every day a Mandela Day.
The commitment of former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela towards the preservation of human rights, conflict resolution, and reconciliation is something to be admired and emulated in everyday life. This celebration of the world icon’s life is a call to action for people to make a positive impact within their communities.
This year the day became even more significant because of the chaos and unrest in parts of South Africa. We need to move forward and help introduce positive change - small or big - within our communities. If each citizen contributes to positive change by fighting injustice and helping those around them, the impact could be far-reaching as many are suffering because of weighty issues.
The day is also a call to action for political officials to engage in conversations and to actively commit to establishing sustainable local communities.
Efforts need to be made to help each other during these stressful and demanding times and this is possible through actions that result in reviving a value-based society driven by the spirit of Ubuntu.
Mandela once said: ‘It is in your hands to make the world a better place’, while encouraging people to take responsibility for their communities.
With Mandela Day falling during the current unrest in South Africa, community members need to support each other more than ever.
So we call upon everyone to take this opportunity to set an example for the next generation who hopefully continue the legacy of helping make the world a better place.
The goal of Mandela Day is to inspire people in their diversity to find the good that exists inherently within everyone.
Ms Nkosingiphile Ntshangase is the Marketing Assistant at UKZN Extended Learning, focusing on social media management, marketing, communications and blogging.
*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.