12 million sing for Mandela’s 93rd birthday
More than 12 million students sang a special version of Happy Birthday before their lessons began.
Mandela also received birthday greetings from South African leaders, including President Jacob Zuma, and from US President Barack Obama.
Obama called Mandela “a beacon for the global community, and for all who work for democracy, justice and reconciliation”.
Mandela was spending the day with his family in his home village of Qunu, on South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province.
Zuma visited the house in the afternoon to deliver his greetings in person.
Outside the house, a brass band played for several hours in Mandela’s honour.
In 2009, Mandela’s birthday was declared as an international day devoted to public service.
People around the world have been asked to mark the occasion by giving 67 minutes of their time to work in their local community — one minute for every year of Mandela’s public service.
He became South Africa’s first black president after spending 27 years in prison for his fight against apartheid and was later awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
Mandela’s public appearances have become increasingly rare, though he did appear at the World Cup one year ago.
His foundation has recently released Nelson Mandela By Himself, a book featuring more than 2,000 Mandela quotations on topics ranging from freedom to forgiveness to HIV/Aids.
Students at the Johannesburg School for the Blind and Partially Sighted sang and danced this morning as they wished their ‘Tata Mandela’ a happy birthday.
Most of the students are fire victims from South Africa’s impoverished townships and have received assistance from the Children of Fire charity. Charity founder Bronwen Jones said one in three of the children were burned intentionally.
“For them to be able to rise from that and forgive the people who hurt them, there’s no better example than Madiba [Mandela],” she said.
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