Happy Mandela Day!

I am really impressed with the way South Africa as a nation recognizes and celebrates Nelson Mandela’s birthday - or Mandela Day - on July 18. They have declared it an international day of service. People are asked to give 67 minutes of their time doing something charitable - one minute for each year that Mandela dedicated to his struggle for social justice. 

It reminds me of when my sons were students at the Pingry School in NJ. Most schools - Pingry included - would have the day off for Martin Luther King Day in the US. For many years our favorite thing to do on MLK Day was to volunteer at the Community Food Bank in Hillside, NJ with a group of other Pingry families. We would unpack and sort donated food for distribution to the needy. 

I always thought volunteering was an appropriate way to honor the memory of Dr. King and his dedication to the restoration of human dignity. In fact community service on MLK Day should be a national initiative in the USA. In South Africa for Mandela Day, I am happy to say it is.

Mandela's 95th birthday celebration this year is overshadowed of course by his ongoing hospital stay. But on the positive side, people seem to be inspired to make this the biggest Mandela Day ever.  I hope it is. I am joining the celebration by giving my 67+ minutes to help create a library at a school. More on that later. 

Happy birthday Madiba!