The Mandela Day initiative embodies the values of Nelson Mandela as daughter Zoleka Mandela speaks to delegates at the Make Road Safe conference for the Decade of Action for Road Safety in London this month. The Mandela family vow to help the United Nations bid to save lives on the world’s roads.
The mother and grandmother of Zenani Mandela vowed to save lives on the road as a tribute to the 13 year old who tragically died in a car crash on the eve of the 2010 World Cup.
Zoleka and Zindzi Mandela, the daughter and granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, are supporting the UN Decade of Action by helping to set up a Scholarship for road safety in memory of Zenani and as part of an effort to reduce road casualties in South Africa and worldwide.
Launching the Zanani Mandela Scholarship, Zoleka Mandela said:
“Protecting our children must be a lasting legacy of this UN Decade of Action. We begin by regocnising that road deaths are preventable. They are a consquence of human neglect and can be prevented by human action. Now is the time for that positive action. Ever life we save will be a precious victory”
Together with the Commision for Global Road Safety, which is a partner in coordinating the launch of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, these members of the Mandela family and the Nelson Mandela Foundation announced the ‘Zenani Mandela Road Safety Scholarship’ at the high level, Make Road Safety conference in London.
The Scholarship will aim to help young South African policy makers tackle a growing epidemic of death and injury on their country’s roads. The initiative has been recognised by the Nelson Mandela Foundation as embodying the values promoted by Nelson Mandela and as such will be officially included in the Mandela Day this year. As Nelson Mandela has said: “The world remains beset by so much human suffering…It is in your hands to make our world a better one for all”
Lord Robertson, Chairman of the Commission for Global Road Safety said: “We desperately need to support our young leaders and help them develop the expertise to tacke the growing global epidemic of road casualties. Far too many children are killed and injured each day on the roads”.
The Scholarship and YOURS
Zoleka Mandela took the time to speak to represenatives from YOURS and expressed her support for the cause YOURS is persuing. She told representatives that YOURS is doing an important job and that she is looking at YOURS to help achieve the goalof saving millions of young lives around the world.
Zoleka Mandela with the YOURS traffic logo.
For mor information about the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Zenani Mandela Scholarship, visit www.nelsonmandela.org