So it's full steam ahead for Mandela Day celebrations in New York. An exhibition about Madiba's life has opened at Grand Central Station - very simple, yet very effective.
Also went to a reading by a Broadway star here, called Brian D'arcy James who plays Shrek in the hit musical. He read two stories - African fables, if you like - as kids from a disadvantaged school in Harlem tried to pay attention. Shame, at least they learnt a little bit about our former president. One ten-year-old boy told me he considers Mandela to be "the Martin Luther King of South Africa". Another girl said the world should be more like him 'cause "then people would be fair". Insightful young things.
It's also great that America is getting in on the Madiba magic. One man I spoke to who helped with the creative side of things, told me the country is in need of nation-building and reconciliation now more than ever. And he believes Mandela - or the spirit of Mandela, embodied through Mandela Day - is the best thing right now. Interesting...I would have thought Obama could have done that. But I guess there's enough Madiba magic to go around, isn't there ;)
1 comment:
Hello mate, great blog post
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