President Bill Clinton & Chelsea Visit Nelson Mandela for 94th Birthday

By Melanie Nathan, July 19, 2012.

Português: Brasília – O presidente da África do Sul, Nelson Mandela, é recebido na capital federal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Former United States President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea visited former South African President Nelson Mandela this week to celebrate  Mandela’s 94th birthday at the ANC and anti-apartheid  icon’s home in his childhood village.

Clinton spent two hours inside Mandela’s family compound in Qunu, the picturesque village where Mandela grew up.

Media were barred from entering the area and Clinton left without speaking.

VIA IOL – Before the visit, Clinton opened a library at a primary school together with Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, and daughter Zindzi ahead of the beloved statesman’s birthday on Wednesday.

“Even though he will be 94 tomorrow, when I think about Mandela I always think about someone committed to the future,” he said afterwards.

“It was a great honour for me to serve as a president of America while Mandela was president of the Republic of South Africa.

“We worked together as presidents and even after we left office, we continued working together to improve education of the children worldwide in order for them to share the future,” he added.

Mandela’s wife Graca thanked “the family of Clinton for being with the family of Mandela because each and every birthday president Clinton has always availed himself”.

“As the Mandela family we really appreciate the bond between these two families,” said Machel.

Clinton used the opportunity to reminisce about his long standing relationship with Madiba and to tout his support for a charity he helped found which provides training for impoverished South African school children.  The charity is designed to fill in gaps which cannot be met by State funding.  The idea has been to attract private funders and volunteers.

“I hope to get more support and make it bigger,” he said during a visit to a youth center in the Soweto township outside Johannesburg on his first day of a tour through several African countries.

In 2009, the United Nations declared July 18 as International Mandela Day, aimed at getting people all over the world to volunteer for good causes.

This week The South African Gold Coin Exchange announced a new limited edition Nelson Mandela Medallion- gold and silver collector and investment coin set, honoring the Nobel prize winner, and commemorating HIV/ AIDS as a human rights issue – a first such coin  for sale in the United States.  Information about the Nelson Mandela Red Ribbon Twin Set can be found at http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2012/07/18/the-south-african-gold-coin-exchange-announces-launch-of-nelson-mandela-hivaids-medallion/

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OWAYENGUMENGAMELI waseMelika, uBill Clinton,
ehambisana nendodakazi yakhe uChelsea, uvakashele uMnuz Nelson Mandela
ekhaya lakhe eQunu, e-Eastern Cape, izolo ezomfisela usuku oluhle
lokuzalwa namuhla.

Bobathathu laba kuthiwa bachithe
isikhathi esingaphezulu kwehora emzini kaMandela. Ngaphambi kwalokho
uClinton ubehambele ukuvulwa komtapo wolwazi eMoscow Primary School
eQunu bude buduze nomuzi kaMandela.

UClinton uthe banquma ukusiza lesi sikole ngemuva kokucelwa unkosikazi kaMandela, uGraca Machel.

Ngesikhathi izingane zimjabulela
ngesikhathi efika kulesi sikole, uClinton uthe: “Ngicabanga ukuthi
impilo kaMandela ingebaluleke kakhulu emlandweni. Usifundise okuningi
uMadiba ngokubhekana nezimo ezinzima empilweni. Ngicabanga ukuthi yileyo
ndlela sonke okumele senze ngayo izinto.”read more http://www.iol.co.za/isolezwe/u-bill-clinton-utheleke-equnu-nendodakazi-1.1344049#.UAgx0qAzw4Q

Nelson Mandela Red Ribbon Twin Set.