The government of South Africa has accepted the call for celebrating July 18 as global Mandela Day on the account of birthday of former President and hero of anti-apartheid, Nelson Mandela.
 

"Cabinet endorsed the call to declare July 18, former president Nelson Mandela's birthday, as global Mandela Day," Government spokesperson Themba Maseko said.

He said the Cabinet invited all South Africans, civil society organisations, and the citizens of the world to support the idea by doing some good work in their communities.

"The campaign led by the Nelson Mandela Foundation seeks to encourage all of humanity to spend 67 minutes of their time doing something that would make a difference in their communities," he said.

"This is in recognition of the 67 years that Mandela spent fighting against the evils of Apartheid," he said. But, Mandela Day will not be a public holiday.

A series of events has been synchronised by 46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation and will be arranged on the event of Mandela's 91st birthday in South Africa and around the world, especially New York. 46664 was Nelson Mandela's prison number when he was in jail for 27 years.

The occasion will see participation from the charity's global ambassadors in the fields of entertainment, music, and films. All funds collected from Mandela Day will go towards supporting the ongoing work of 46664 and the Nelson Mandela charitable organisations.

The foundation and 46664 movement have concentrated on following projects in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, which have the greatest needs at present, mainly for those affected or infected by HIV.