Madiba will be celebrating his 92nd birthday on 18 July this year. During November 2009, his birthday was officially named Nelson Mandela International Day by the United Nations General Assembly.
It is all about celebrating this day by spending 67 minutes, in honour of Madiba's own 67 years of service to humanity, doing something good for other people.
Since 1942 when he first started to campaign for the human rights of every South African, his life has been an inspiration to the world.
As he has spent 67 years making the world a better place, this is a call to people everywhere to celebrate his birthday and the global launch of International Mandela Day, by acting on the idea that each person has the power to change the world. It is about recognising our own individual power to make an imprint and to help change the world around us for the better.
Last year MEC Sakkie Jenner, MEC for Cultural Affairs, Sport and Recreation and Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport staff members pledged their 67 minutes to clean up the garden and grounds of the Tygerberg hospital.
Afterwards, MEC Jenner decided to 'adopt' the oncology wards of the hospital as a social responsibility project. A 300 metres underground tunnel links the ward with the chemotherapy area, which is a space that consists of greyish walls, water pipes and dampness.
It is used daily by all the oncology patients, either by wheelchair or on beds. The purpose of the initiative is to visually enhance this uninspiring environment as part of the healing and therapy process through art.
On International Nelson Mandela Day 2010, MEC Jenner and Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport staff will assist to visually enhance the G10 general children's ward and the tunnel.
Arts and craft, sponsored by the Overberg Arts Week, would include murals, paintings, mosaic work and art panels that will be mounted against walls. Treatment rooms will be decorated with hanging craft mobiles from the ceiling.
This event would serve as a platform to showcase the talent and skills of Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport artists and also to popularise the art forms.
Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport is very grateful to our main sponsor, Shoprite/Checkers, who will also highlight this awareness of social responsibility amongst the arts and culture community.
Other sponsors are The Lavender Youth and Community project, South African Dance Academy, The Ruth Prowse School of Art, Mignon Hattingh, African Home Beading, Busy Bee Crafters, Rochelle Beresford, Susan Smuts, Women's Circle, Zuko Dolls, Mama Zolani Crafters, Desiree Malan, Libere Foundation, Liezel Eksteen, Solly Arendse, Bergrivier APD, Crafty Kids Wellington, Drakenstein Arts Society, Cape Town Opera and Elsies River Youth Band.
Lizahn Claasen at Arts and Culture said: "Our objective is to mark this visual art and craft project on our calendar, it is an investment in the community, in us and also in Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport".
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government
