• To my dear portuguese

As I know that there are many portuguese following my blog, take a look at this report about me. I'm very fond of Portugal, as my wife, Graça, studied there, in Lisbon. I think it is a great country and with very good and kind people. Thank you all portuguese who have been here commenting and have closely followed my posts.
Best regards, N.M.

• World Cup - South Africa 2010

The World Cup South Africa 2010 symbolized the ability of football to bring together people throughout the world, regardless of their language, their skin color and their political or religious beliefs. I would have been present at the opening ceremony of the World Cup South Africa 2010 but I couldn’t because my granddaughter Zenan died in a car crash just before the ceremony.

Although I was mourning, I went to Soccer City where the Title Game was disputed and I loved listening to all the people yelling: "Madiba! Madiba!”

• My Life's Story Tales

* A picture worths a thousand words *

• "Mandela day" - Simple Minds

In the sequence of my last post about "Mandela Day", here it is a music Simple Minds have done on this subject. I hope you like it!

• Mandela Day

Mandela Day was an event started in 2009. It was inaugurated on my birthday, 18th July. It’s not a big and fancy event, but it’s a kind of tribute to my heritage in South Africa as a free country. It’s normally organized by “Nelson Mandela Foundation” and “46664”. The number 67 is the significant number of this day, once I’ve fought for 67 years to release my country from injustice chains. This number, each year is the motto for a challenge. This year the challenge is “67 ways to change our world”. This day is remarkable and is for you, each one of you, to think of a little thing you would change in your life that could change many lives. This day is just to remember you that each day must be one more step to fulfill your dreams. 18th July is that way, a day you can reflect about how you can leave your mark in the world, and be remembered for you acts.

“Make everyday a Mandela Day”

Mandela Day link: http://www.nelsonmandela.org/mandeladay/index.html

• "Invictus" & Nelson Mandela

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.

• Madiba Shirts

Is it because of my original shirts? :)

The shirts I use are my symbol. I have always used them as an icon, a call to love and happiness! They're my formal wear, even when I was a President. I feel comfortable and peolpe see me as a person close to them, not so formal and distant, as I belonged to another status. I'm from peolpe, I'm like peolpe, and I'm for people.

Well, here's a website I found, and were you can have your shirt just like mine. This is kind of funny to me, seeing peolpe looking at me as a different but familiar man.

http://www.presidentialshirt.co.za/

• "New hands be found to lift the burden"

During the time I have been in government, I have negleted things I shouldn't have negleted. I'm sorry I didn't pay more attention to some important question that were afecting South Africe in that time. I was, of course, very proud I had reached the top of my ambitions and have finished the Apartheid system. However, not everything was good. My governtment was accused of inactivity in what concerns to AIDS fight. My government ceased its funstions in 1999, and then I realised I could have done more. Since then I've started a series of campaings against AIDS spreading and many awareness raising to collect funds to support AIDS affected peolpe. The name I gave to this "foudation" was 46664, that, as you already know was my prisoner number. This sad reality has touched me personaly too. My son, Makgatho Mandela died in 2005 with AIDS complications. I don't speak just as an international leader and personality, I speak also as a father and a relative of someone who lived close to AIDS. As we couldn't yet find the cure, it's important to provide means to countries were this illness is a big epidemic. We need to help people and act, mainly in prevention.

"New hands be found to lift the burden."

"I announce that my son has died of AIDS. Let us give publicity to HIV/AIDS and not hide it, because the only way to make it appear like a normal illness like [tuberculosis], like cancer, is always to come out and to say somebody has died because of HIV/AIDS. And people will stop regarding it as something extraordinary"

- 46664 Foundation: http://www.46664.com/

• Carnival!

Fight for freedom can't wait! Follow my steps and never give up on your dreams. Be unstoppable and tireless against those who endager Human Rights. No matter what your age, race or sex is, you have a duty to the world: helping each other and spread peace as a seed to a better understanding between nations and peolpe.