Madrid is hosting this year the celebrations to mark the International Mandela Day. The main event shall take place at Parque de El Retiro next Sunday, July 18, when Mandela shall turn 92. As a symbolic action, there will be a march of 6.7 kilometers as an homage to the 67 years that Nelson Mandela devoted to his struggle for human rights. Participants are invited to join this walk starting at Paseo de Coches de El Retiro at 20:00h . The public is requested to come wearing T-shirts or vests with the emblem of any organizations they belong to.
Red Deporte organized recently a solidarity trip to South Africain which 12 boys and girls from Spain took part. There we had a chance to visit the Nelson Mandela Foundation, where we were welcomed by Ruth and Claudia. They presented to us the activities and projects of the Foundation, that aims at passing on the values that have always accompanied Mandela’s life and work: reconciliation, justice, respect and spirit of sacrifice. The Foundation is the organizer of the annual International Day of Nelson Mandela, that was institutionalized by United Nations.
“I really loved this visit to the Foundation. What happened in my country in the past and how we live today are two completely different things. I am very grateful, I feel a lot of respect for my history and I love my country”, said Lanelle Edwards, one of the South African girls who lives in the township of Finetown, South of Johannesburg.
María Martin Pesudo, from Villareal, Spain, said she feels “plenty of admiration for Mandela”. What struck her more was “his unwavering determination in the struggle for equality, even though he was made to spent 27 years in prison. He showed to the world that things can change”.

More information in www.mandeladay.com and www.46664voluntarios.es