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| Nelson Mandela |
Jamaica needs long arms to embrace all the goodwill extended to her.
Last week, we attended the announcement of Jamaica's celebration of
Nelson Mandela Day, to be observed this Wednesday, July 18, his
birthday. The indefatigable High Commissioner for South Africa Mathu
Joyini has brought corporate Jamaica on board as she encouraged us to
devote at least 67 minutes that day to Jamaica's children.
Following a debate in November 2009 in the UN General Assembly on "the
importance of dialogue and tolerance to enriching cultures and promoting
understanding among faiths", a UN report states, "Recognising the
long-standing dedication of former South African President and Nobel
Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela to humanity - particularly in the
areas of conflict resolution, race relations, human rights promotion,
reconciliation and gender equality - the Assembly adopted a text
declaring July 18, his birthday, as an International Day, to be observed
annually starting in 2010."
Prime Minister Simpson Miller, patron of Mandela Day in Jamaica,
reminded us of our long-standing record in the fight against apartheid
and for human rights. She said that as far back as 1957, Jamaica had
imposed a trade embargo on South Africa as we took a stand against that
unjust system of government.
Well do I remember that heady day in Jamaica's National Stadium in 1991,
the year after his release from prison, when as a guest of the Michael
Manley government, Nelson Mandela declared, "This is the happiest day of
my life!"
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| Grantees of the PROComm-Stella Maris Foundation Scholarship Fund had a great time a a lunch hosted by the PROComm Team at Caribbean Cottage, Kingsway in honour of Mandela Day. From left are: Akeem Luke (New Day Junior High), Vanessa Gaynor (Mona High), Ashanti Hall (New Day Primary), Orlando Reid and Kemar Carter (Shortwood Practising) and Sashwana Chance (Meadowbrook High) |
High Commissioner Joyini asked Jamaicans to "take the love we have for
Nelson Mandela and turn it inwards to the children of Jamaica". What a
simple but profound charge. Placing our focus on the welfare of our
children, giving them an experience which reminds them how precious they
are, can cause a sea change. If you hark back to your childhood, you
will recall those moving gestures of care which made you believe that
you were a worthy human being and built the self-esteem which propelled
you forward.
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| PM Most Hon Portia Simpson Miller (centre, in red) and Her Excellency Mathu Joyini, High Commissioner for South Africa with the Simply Chrisolites group and other guests at the Mandela Day press launch last Wednesday at the Prime Minister's Office |
That generous Jamaican couple Sonia and Teddy McCook used to invite
aspiring young athletes from humble homes to have Christmas dinner with
them. When they were presented with gifts, one teenager broke down in
tears. When asked why, he explained that it was the first time in his
life that anyone had ever given him a gift. The things we take for
granted are precious for some of our children. This Mandela Day, what
will you do to make a child feel special? That one gesture could give a
child the strength to stand up to the threatening influences around him
or her.
Nelson Mandela once said, "There can be no keener revelation of a
society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." This
Wednesday, let our children feel this Jubilee of hope from the
collective soul of a caring people. Step up, Jamaica!
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