Nations around the world have held candlelight vigils, memorials, and ceremonies to honor Nelson Mandela. As an education advocate, Mandela opened doors for millions of children to attend school and inspired a generation of global citizens who are poised to become tomorrow’s leaders in North America and beyond.
Recently, Toronto marked Mandela’s enduring legacy in its own distinctive way. More than 450 students from across the city gathered on the University of Toronto campus, listening to speakers and enjoying performances that celebrated Mandela’s lifetime of service and underscored a shared commitment to carry forward his educational ideals. Co-founder of Free The Children, Marc Kielburger, connected with the crowd by Skype from South Africa, where he has spent time mourning Mandela’s passing in person. Students in South Africa shared hopes and concerns for their country’s future while Toronto students reflected on Mandela’s impact in their own daily lives.
Among the guests were the Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, platinum-selling and JUNO Award-winning recording artist Shawn Desman, Canadian rapper and record producer Kardinal Offishall, and Grammy and JUNO Award winner Nelly Furtado.
In September, Free The Children announced the Year of Education, a year-long initiative aimed at building 200 new schools in developing communities overseas. Of those, 100 are slated for Africa, with projects in Kenya, Ghana, and Sierra Leone.
Supporters can participate through the Canadian-based We Create Change campaign, made possible by RBC, which is dedicated to constructing schools in impoverished countries. Each twenty dollars buys one brick, and a school requires about five hundred bricks to rise. To learn more about how to contribute, readers are encouraged to explore the official campaign page.
Photo credits go to Vito Amati and Michael Rajzman, Free The Children.