On the auspicious occasion of 104th birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela, Gandhi Mandela Foundation in collaboration with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti will celebrate the Nelson Mandela Day and organize a function to mark his legacy on 18th July 2022 at Kriti Mandap, Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti, 5, Tees January Marg, New Delhi. The Chief Guest of the function will be renowned spiritual leader Acharya Mahamandelashwar and Junapeethadeshwar Swami Avsheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj (as Chairman of Gandhi Mandela Foundation).   

Other eminent personalities who will be part of the program include Hon’ble Justice KG Balakrishnan (Chief-Advisor& Jury Chairman, GMF), Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra (Advisor & Jury member, GMF), Acharya Dr Lokesh Muni Ji (Vice-Chairman, GMF), Adv Nandan Jha (Secretary General, GMF), Vijay Goel (Hon’ble Vice-Chairman, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti), Manoj Tiwari (Member of the Lok Sabha), Karnal Singh (Former Enforcement Director, Govt of India) and Dr Syed Zafar Islam (Ex-MP, Rajya Sabha).   

As far as the global presence is concerned, the event will see representatives from America, Africa, Russia, London, Switzerland, Germany, Malaysia, Morocco, Dominican Republic, Burundi and Philippines.  

The speakers will share their thoughts about Nelson Mandela and how Gandhian principles are important in everyone’s life as well as how the global saint inspired everyone to work for the humanity.

Nelson Mandela, who was the first black President of South Africa and helped the country end the apartheid system of racial segregation and guided in a peaceful transition to majority rule, was a true follower of Mahatma Gandhi and believed in the practical approach of non-violence and peace. His struggles for South Africa helped play an important role in launching campaigns of defiance against South Africa’s pass laws, which required non-whites to carry documents authorizing their presence in areas that the government deemed “restricted”.

Mandela was awarded Nobel peace prize for his efforts in maintaining world peace. He was instrumental in establishing the theory of ‘everyone is equal’ and nobody is subject to discrimination. His path of sovereignty is followed by lot of world leaders even today.

The Gandhi Mandela Foundation, a Govt. of India registered trust which promotes individual freedom, civil liberties, and human rights across the globe celebrates the birth anniversary of the great man every year, in order to carry forward the legacy of Mandela and remember the great sacrifices he made for the humanity. His life was a message for the humanity and to spread his message the Mandela Day is organized. The headquarter of the foundation is situated at New Delhi, India and Global presence include America, Africa, Russia, London, Switzerland, China, Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Foundation instituted the Gandhi Mandela Awards, which is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious awards, during the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji to celebrate those who have carried forward the legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. The jury of the Gandhi Mandela Award includes Justice KG Balakrishnan (Former Chief Justice of India & Former Chairman, NHRC India), Justice Dipak Misra (Former Chief Justice of India), Justice Gyan Sudha Misra (Former Supreme Court Judge of India), Justice MD Tafazzul Islam (Former Chief Justice of Bangladesh) and Justice Kedarnath Upadhyay (Former Chief Justice of Nepal & Former Chairman, NHRC Nepal). The jury will announce the first Gandhi Mandela award winner on this special occasion.