Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela

There are only a few milestones in life that we celebrate– your eighteenth birthday, passing your driving test and your graduation – but getting to your ninetieth birthday is definitely one that should be celebrated…and especially so if your Nelson Mandela. On 18 July 2008 millions of people throughout the world will celebrate Nelson Mandela's ninetieth birthday.

This year provides us with the opportunity to celebrate Mandela, the movement he represented and also the role that the UK student movement played in the struggle.

NUS President Gemma Tumelty said: “NUS and the UK student movement have a long and proud history in the struggle for a democratic and free South Africa. Only twenty years ago, on Nelson Mandela’s seventieth birthday, our predecessors were campaigning tirelessly for his release from prison. Nelson Mandela has dedicated his life to the campaign for justice, democracy and equality for southern Africa. His ninetieth birthday provides us not only with an opportunity to celebrate his birthday and remind us of our collective strength in action, but with a chance to stand in solidarity with students’ unions across southern Africa and join them in the campaign for the values that Mandela has fought for all of his life.”

NUS is supporting ACTSA, the successor to the British Anti-Apartheid Movement, which wants to involve people, communities and organisations throughout the UK in the celebration of Mandela's ninetieth year by encouraging local events, activities and action throughout the summer months.

The aims of the celebrations are

• To mark Nelson Mandela's ninetieth birthday appropriately and sensitively
• To provide information on the context and history of the struggle against apartheid
• To promote the achievements of the movement against apartheid and for freedom and justice for South and southern Africa.
• To inform people in Britain about the development challenges that still confront South and southern Africa
• To involve people in Britain in committing to support the development of South and southern Africa, promoting democracy, justice and development.

ACTSA believes that students' unions should play a major part in these celebrations, not least to celebrate their role in the struggle to bring an end to the injustice and racism that devastated South Africa for so many years.

“Mandela at 90” provides students’ unions with an opportunity to educate your members about development in southern Africa. It allows us to recognise the successes and challenges facing the region. It also provides an opportunity to work in solidarity with your fellow student officers in southern Africa.

Nelson Mandela's birthday takes place on 18 July, a time when there is unlikely to be a great deal of activity on campus. That is why we are encouraging students' unions to organise activity not just in the weeks leading up to Nelson Mandela’s birthday but throughout the year, up to and including black history month in October.

What can you do?
There are many simple and effective ways you can support “Mandela at 90” including

• Get your students to sign the online card. There’s also giant A3 versions for students’ unions if you’d like to get your students around something physical. To order the giant cards, or if you have an enquiry about any of these ways of supporting, email campaigns@actsa.org. They’re £10 each (to cover costs).
• Create a giant pledge flag for Mandela at 90
• Rededicate your Mandela room
• Show a themed film
• Hold themed lectures using university staff
• Get involved with your local authority’s celebrations

Keep us informed
Whatever you plan to do for Mandela at 90, make sure you let NUS and ACTSA know at gareth.jenkins@nus.org.uk and campaigns@actsa.org and we’ll promote it online.

For more information about ACTSA or the Nelson Mandela at 90 Campaign go to www.actsa.org.

For more information about the role of the student movement in the fight against apartheid visit the ACTSA and NUS page.

Useful links

Our top 5 Nelson Mandela videos

1. First interview with Nelson Mandela
2. BBC News: Nelson Mandela released from prison
3. BBC press conference the day after Nelson Mandela's release
4. Make Poverty History: Nelson Mandela
5. Photo slideshow

46664 - African Aids organisation

African National Congress

Nelson Mandela Foundation