Nelson Mandela International Day events from 18 July

From John Nelson, ACTSA Scotland

I reproduce below a list of things happening on and around this Friday's Nelson Mandela International Day - Not all of them have ACTSA involvement but all relate in some way to the Day.  Some you already know of and others are newly intimated.

For those within reach of Glasgow, we would be glad to see you in particular at the Nelson Mandela Place ceremony at 1.30pm on 18 July, whether as a volunteer helper/steward or simply attending.

The open air concert on the Concert Hall steps has now become an informal flashmob performance there by the Mzansi choir, soon after they finish at Nelson Mandela Place, and with no need for the stewarding and other support from us originally intended.   The large screen in George Square is now confirmed, but we still await clarification on whether stewarding there is necessary or desirable or not required at all.

This information plus some background can be found on the Mandela Day Scotland website at  http://mandeladayscotland.org

We also now have a Twitter account at http://twitter.com/actsascotland where you can find news relating to Mandela Day.  Twitter users would be welcome to spread word of this round your contacts.

Fri. 18th July  Nelson Mandela International Day

11am – 3pm.  Book Donation Event for children’s libraries in South Africa, at the Mitchell Library, Granville St., Glasgow.   Gifts of children’s books in good condition will be welcome.

12 noon – 6pm.   Large video screen in George Square, Glasgow, showing continuous footage of Nelson Mandela’s visit in 1993 to receive the Freedom of Glasgow and of eight other UK local authorities. The screen will face the war memorial and City Chambers, with its back to the Walter Scott monument.

1.30 – 2.30pm.  Ceremony in Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow, to remember and celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela, with the Lord Provost and South African guests, including the Mzansi choir.  This is described as a “ceremony of ritual and reflection", and the heart of it will be the tying by guests of ribbons in the South African colours to the railings of St. George’s Tron church as the choir sings.

7:30 pm Jabulani Project Annual Mandela Day Celebration.  Columcille Centre, 2 Newbattle Terrace, Edinburgh Napier University Morningside Campus, Edinburgh EH10 4RT
 An evening of song, dance and food with an open mic session. Doors open 7.30 pm, food served 8.00pm. Last dance 11.30pm. Ticket: Donation on door (£10.00) includes excellent choice of food and drink. http://jabulaniproject.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/JabulaniProject

8:00 pm Nelson Mandela International Day Celebration. Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow, G3 8AG  The headline artist is Hugh Masekela but there will be a number of others, including Complete, the Mzansi Youth Choir from South Africa and others from Scotland and South Africa, including Arthur Johnstone. Tickets are £15 each plus booking fee.
See http://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/events/nelson-mandela-international-day-celebration/ for more information and a link to the Glasgow Life online booking service, phone 0141 353 8000, or visit the box office at the Royal Concert Hall or City Halls.

8:00 pm Mandela Day Concert at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival.
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT
Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival opens in the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh with a special programme to mark Mandela Day, with Abdullah Ibrahim, Freshlyground and the Mahotella Queens. Tickets cost from £22.50 to £37.50, including booking fee, from 0131 473 2000 or
http://www.edinburghjazzfestival.com/programme/artists/mandela-day-concert.html

22:00 - 03:00 Mandela Day with Fantasma & Auntie Flo. The Arches, 253, Argyle St., Glasgow G2 8DL
A special one-off club event at the Arches, with Fantasma from South Africa and Auntie Flo of Highlife. The event will be jointly presented by The Arches, the British Council and Creative Scotland.   Tickets cost £5 plus booking fee from 0141 565 1000 or www.thearches.co.uk/events/clubs/mandela-day-with-fantasma-auntie-flo

Sat. 19th July

12:00 - 16:00  Mandela Celebrations at The Hidden Gardens, 25a Albert Drive (behind the Tramway Theatre), Glasgow, G41 2PE   
The core of the event is to introduce folk to many of the volunteering opportunities available in the local community, and to make it easy for prospective volunteers to pledge their time in service to others and their local community, in the spirit of Nelson Mandela International Day.
The many other activities available will include: African folk tales; massed singing; an open singing workshop; locally prepared food; an eco-recycling workshop; face-painting with a Commonwealth theme; garden tours and plant sale; children’s arts and crafts; tai chi and parachute games; an assault course and corsage-making; and performances by Govanhill Youth Project. See http://thehiddengardens.org.uk/mandela-celebration.php for information.

Sun. 20th July  

12:00 noon till late.  Fundraising Braai in aid of Community Heart, Dysart, Fife.
Braai (barbecue) in aid of Community HEART, a charity founded by Nelson Mandela’s colleague Denis Goldberg which funds educational and other development projects in South Africa, and with which ACTSA Scotland works closely on our joint appeal for books for school libraries there. There will be South African food, drink and music, and a variety of fund-raising activities.
Contact Bob Bruce at cumnorcelt@gmail.com for more information.

Mon. 21st July until October.

 The Robben Island Bible will be on display at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow.  This is a copy of the complete works of Shakespeare, owned on Robben Island by a prisoner who disguised it as a volume of Hindu scriptures to avoid its confiscation.  Its owner, Sonny Venkatrathnam, persuaded 32 other prisoners to sign their names against passages in the book that held particular significance for them. Those signing included Nelson Mandela and many other key figures from the liberation struggle.  The owner is personally bringing the book to Glasgow, where it will be shown next to the “Scotland and the Commonwealth" exhibition already at the Mitchell Library.

Month of July

Collection of donated books for school libraries in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa,
as part of ACTSA Scotland’s ongoing Book Appeal.
Books can be handed in at any public library in

Dundee         Edinburgh         Midlothian         Renfrewshire

or any one of these Glasgow public libraries:
Cardonald, Dennistoun, Hillhead, Langside, Maryhill, Mitchell and Shettleston.
(Additional "Mass book-gifting day" on Mandela Day, 18th July, 11am - 3pm at the Mitchell Library)
The office of Cathy Jamieson, MP, at 32 Grange Street, Kilmarnock  KA1 2DD
To give books at other times or in other places, contact ACTSA Scotland

For more information contact ACTSA Scotland at john.nelson@actsascotland.org.uk
(ask to go on the e-mailing list if you would like to hear about future activities)
or see the Mandela Day Scotland website at http://mandeladayscotland.org
or follow us on Twitter   http://twitter.com/actsascotland