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ACTSA News: Meeting to plan Scotland’s part in the celebration of 90 years of Nelson Mandela’s life 

18^th July, 2008 will be Nelson Mandela’s 90^th birthday. That milestone and the whole of this birthday year will be marked world-wide by celebration of a lifetime of struggle and of the qualities and values for which Nelson Mandela is so admired and respected across the globe. The most publicised event so far is probably the Wembley concert planned for the end of June in aid of his AIDS charity 46664, which Nelson Mandela has said he will attend in person.

We believe that Scotland will wish to be part of this yearlong celebration. A number of initiatives are already planned – for example:

• A birthday card in the form of loose leaf sheets to be available for signatures and short messages in town halls, libraries, churches and student unions, at conferences and festivals, via postal and electronic mailing lists, and through any other channels possible. The plan would be to bind these into a series of volumes to be presented to Nelson Mandela personally.  Where appropriate, there would be provision for signatories to contribute to a birthday present in the form of donations to community projects in Nelson Mandela’s home Province of Eastern Cape (with which Scotland is also particularly linked). The proposed channel for these is Community HEART, the U.K. charity founded by Denis Goldberg, who is well known to many in Scotland and was one of the Rivonia trialists sentenced to life imprisonment alongside Mandela in 1964.

• A birthday celebration in Glasgow on 18^th July. This could be done also in centres across Scotland. Someone in Ullapool is already keen to hold an event, for example.

• A Scottish conference in October, linked to the annual Mandela/Tambo lecture, on achievements since 1994 and on current issues facing South and Southern Africa.

• Publishing written and audio-visual material about Nelson Mandela and the successes and problems of the new South Africa.

These and other ideas will form the basis for the discussion, and we hope there will be wide representation at the meeting. If you are unable to attend or be represented we would welcome expressions of interest and requests to be kept informed of the outcome and of future developments. It would be very helpful to have an indication in advance if you hope to be there. E-mail is normally the quickest way to reach me. E-mail: John.Nelson@actsascotland.org.uk                   

War on Wants: For latest updates

Dear all,
 
I have booked a bus for the above demo (48 seater - with the possibility of upgrading to a 70 seater if required and if they have a 70 seater available)
 
It will be leaving Dundee at 9.15 (meadowside)
Coming back around 5 in the afternoon
 
Cost - £5 per head (£3 concessions)
 
I am taking names now -- Anyone wanting a seat - e-mail me details - Karen1grogan@hotmail.com

Cheers
Karen (Dundee City Branch of UNISON)
 

For more information on news from Scottish International Committee:  e-mail: s.macfarlane@unison.co.uk