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4 unusual facts about Mandela


KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra

In April 2011, the orchestra played the world premiere of Bongani Ndodana-Breen's opera Winnie the Opera at the State Theatre, Pretoria, with soprano Tsakane Maswanganyi in the title role of Winnie Mandela.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

The film is based on the 1995 book Long Walk to Freedom by anti-apartheid revolutionary and former South African President Nelson Mandela.

It was revealed on 17 October 2013, U2 had written a song specifically for the film entitled "Ordinary Love".

Long Walk to Freedom premiered in London on 5 December 2013 as a Royal Film Performance, Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were in attendance, along with Mandela's daughters Zindzi and Zenani.


2013 Rugby Championship

The South Africa vs Argentina match was originally meant to be held at the Free State Stadium, but it was moved to the FNB to form a unique sports programme – Nelson Mandela Sports Day – in honour of Nelson Mandela.

Amampondo

Upon his release from prison, Nelson Mandela promoted them as ambassadors of South African music, and later nominated them to represent their country at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Amanda Strydom

She had two further honours in that year: first, she was honoured by her alma mater, the University of Pretoria with their Tuks Alumni Laureate Award, and secondly, she was invited to attend the historic 85th birthday celebrations of Nelson Mandela in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Anita Inder Singh

Professor Singh is one of the founding Professors of the Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the Jamia Millia Islamia, a secular national Muslim university in New Delhi.

Anna Elizabeth Botha

She earned admiration from President Nelson Mandela for helping to arrange a luncheon that Mandela and widows of apartheid-era leaders attended.

Christo Brand

He came to Robben Island, where Mandela was held, in 1978 when he was 18 years old.

Cypress Street Viaduct

After the viaduct was torn down, Cypress Street was renamed Mandela Parkway, in honor of Nelson Mandela, and a landscaped median strip was planted where the viaduct once stood.

Economic history of South Africa

In 1990 the white president Frederik Willem (F.W.) de Klerk recognised the economic unsustainability of the apartheid system and released Nelson Mandela the black nationalist leader and unbanned the African National Congress (ANC) that Mandela led.

Elasmia mandela

The name of subspecies Elasmia mandela santaana refers to its type locality, the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.

Free Nelson Mandela

"Nelson Mandela" (known in some versions as "Free Nelson Mandela") is a song written by British musician Jerry Dammers and performed by band The Special A.K.A. - with lead vocal by Stan Campbell - released on the single Nelson Mandela / Break Down The Door in 1984 as a protest against the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela by the apartheid South African government.

Freedom Charter

After the congress was denounced as treason, the South African government banned the ANC and arrested 156 activists, including Mandela who was imprisoned in 1962.

Global Movement for Children

As the key players in the Global Movement for Children, Machel and Mandela engage political, civil society, youth, religious and other leaders in the campaign to improve the lives of children throughout the world.

Goffs School

Goffs School consists of six houses, each named after an influential person from history: Brontë, Churchill, Columbus, Curie, Mandela and Monet.

Goodbye Bafana

The autobiography the film was based on, Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend, was derided by Mandela's longtime friend, the late Anthony Sampson.

Herb Cohen

He also handled Montreux Jazz Festival tours of Japan and the US, and produced the US portion of the Nelson Mandela concert in Wembley Stadium upon Mandela's release.

Heribert Adam

He is married to Kogila Moodley, Professor of Anthropology and Sociology of Education at the University of British Columbia, who is co-author of his book Seeking Mandela: Peacemaking Between Israeli and Palestinians and other works.

International figures' positions on invasion of Iraq

Mandela and Sir Richard Branson planned, with Kofi Annan's blessing, a secret trip to Iraq to convince Saddam to step down, but the bombing starting just before they were to leave.

Kardinal Offishall

Also at the age of 12, he performed live and on stage for the first time, with Nelson Mandela in attendance during Mandela's first visit to Toronto.

Kitch Christie

The victory on home soil in 1995 touched people far beyond rugby's normal constituency, and will be best remembered for Nelson Mandela, wearing the captain's No 6 shirt, embracing the captain Francois Pienaar after South Africa's victory, a scene recreated in the movie Invictus.

Long Walk to Freedom

Long Walk to Freedom has been adapted into a film titled Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom directed by Justin Chadwick, written by William Nicholson, and produced by Anant Singh.

Mandela House

The inside hosts some original furnishings and memorabilia including photographs, citations given to Nelson Mandela, and the world championship belt given to Mandela by Sugar Ray Leonard.

Mohammed Amer

He has performed at sold-out shows worldwide, including: Royal Albert Hall and Hammersmith Apollo (London), Acer Arena (Sydney), Nelson Mandela Theatre (Johannesburg), Shrine Auditorium (Los Angeles), as well as the Malmo Arts Festival (Sweden), the Amman Stand-up Comedy Festival (Jordan), and the World’s Funniest Island Festival (Australia).

Murray C. Anderson

Films for which he has written the music include John Boorman's In My Country, the CBC's documentary Madiba: The Life and Times of Nelson Mandela, which won the 2005 Gemini Award in Canada for Best Music in a Documentary, and Tim Greene's A Boy Called Twist.

Negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa

Buthelezi was convinced to give up the boycott of the elections, after Mandela offered the Zulu king, Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, a guarantee of special status of the Zulu monarchy, and to Buthelezi, the promise that foreign mediators would examine Inkatha's claims to more autonomy in the Zulu area.

Neil Aggett

Johnny Clegg includes a tribute to Aggett in one of his songs, Asimbonanga (Mandela) on the Third World Child album (1987).

Nelson Mandela Forum

Nelson Mandela Forum, formerly Palazzetto dello sport di Firenze and Palasport, is an indoor sports arena that is located in Florence, Italy.

Nelson Mandela Square

Formerly known as Sandton Square, it was renamed Nelson Mandela Square on 31 March 2004 after a 6-metre statue of Nelson Mandela was installed on the square to honour the former South African president.

Nicholas Pinnock

Pinnock portrayed a young Nelson Mandela in the ITV docudrama Mandela: The Prison Years, which aired on 15 December 2013, the day Mandela was buried.

Norbert Smith – a Life

Enfield would later play an affectionate parody of Mandela in his sketch show Harry & Paul.

Padraig O'Malley

He helped arrange a conference at a resort in Finland, where 16 Iraqis met senior negotiators from South Africa (SA), including Cyril Ramaphosa, chief negotiator for the African National Congress (ANC) under the leadership of Nelson Mandela; Roelf Meyer, chief negotiator for South Africa's last whites- only government and Mac Maharaj, who was co. secretary of the South African negotiating process.

Rory Steyn

In 2001, Steyn published a memoir, One Step Behind Mandela: The Story of Rory Steyn, Nelson Mandela's Chief Bodyguard, co-authored with Debora Patta.

St Matthew Academy

St Matthew Academy has three Houses: Romero, Teresa and Mandela, named after Archbishop Oscar Romero, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Nelson Mandela.

Third World Warrior

Kristofferson expressed support for Nelson Mandela and the Sandinista National Liberation Front; not long prior to the album's release, Mandela was freed from prison and the Sandinistas were defeated in elections, transferring power to the National Opposition Union.

Vanley Burke

During two visits to South Africa, in 1990 then in 1996, Vanley photographed the life of black South Africans just after Mandela's release from prison and the subsequent ANC celebrations hosted and attended by Nelson Mandela for the Anti-Apartheid veterans.


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