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We invite all citizens of the world to send us their ideas of how they will be spending their 67minutes on Mandela Day, 18 July. The National Heritage Council will spend the 67minutes on day with a citizen whose idea and wish is a good example of living the values of Ubuntu. Send your idea to mandeladay@nhc.org.za before 15 July 2009
How to celebrate by working together for the common good of our nation The National Heritage Council will embrace the Mandela Day to encourage South Africans and the world to work together for the common good of our nation. Other stakeholders are probable also working on how they would celebrate. Government will have its own plans that will be made known by the relevant authorities. We want to involve everyone who wishes to be part of Ubuntu. This inclusive approach invites the public, from today, to send us messages by email to mandeladay@nhc.org.za on how they plan to celebrate the 67 minutes on Mandela Day by reaching out to the less fortunate in their communities, workplaces, schools, etc. We encourage people to show the seven values of Ubuntu when they plan and finally engage with their communities, neighbours, colleagues at work, clients, patients in hospitals, fellow learners and teachers in schools, the aged, the differentially able, etc. The seven values of Ubuntu for the campaign are – respect, love, honesty, compassion, forgiveness, humility and unity. These messages will be posted on our website: www.nhc.org.za for the world to see how deep the values of Ubuntu are a part of the lives of people. The NHC will select one message that is the closest to expressing how Ubuntu could be shared and visit the proposer to spend the 67 minutes with them. On the day, 17 July 2009, we will request the public to send details of a local person in their community who is a living example of Ubuntu to an sms line 34767. The nominee with the most griping commitment to Ubuntu in his or her community will be this year’s recipient of the Ubuntu Honour. The ceremony will also honour the global figure who is selected to receive the fourth Ubuntu Honour after Nelson Mandela (2006), Kenneth Kaunda (2007) and Fidel Castro (2008). The South African Ubuntu Honour for the local person went to Patrick Thibedi also known as “Chamusso” in his area in White River (Mpumalanga). The Ubuntu Imbizo and Awards are held every September in a different province. The recipient and the selected province will be announced closer to the date. About the Ubuntu Campaign for Nation Building Ubuntu, which entails the positive values enshrined in the philosophy of Ubuntu, is a pinnacle programme of the NHC. It is linked to the mandate of the NHC, that of integrating living heritage into the mainstream of heritage management. In this regard it is an ongoing annual programme of the NHC. The most critical elements of this project centres on mainstreaming of the value system of Ubuntu philosophy as pivotal to nation building, national pride and identity through a sustainable public campaign and the integration of Ubuntu as part of public policy. Engaging with the broader society on this programme, a strong view was expressed that requires strategies for cultivating ways of ensuring that our communities should be organized around Ubuntu in a way that will translate to a change in behaviour and attitude of individuals, families and communities. This process recognizes the strides around several initiatives that entrenches Ubuntu that have been made by government, in the form of progrmmes like the Moral Regeneration Movement, Government Imbizo Programme, Letsema and Batho Pele principles that underline the government commitment to putting people first in the drive to improve service delivery, amongst others. This programme calls on all leaders across the spectrum of society to vocally and practically champion Ubuntu and to use this philosophy as a springboard for the consolidation of a national agenda. The National Heritage Council conceived both the Ubuntu Imbizo and Ubuntu Awards as the first of its kind to instill nurture and revive the spirit of Ubuntu in the most pragmatic sense. Ubuntu Imbizo The Imbizo is conceived as a public campaign to engage members of the public with the primary goal of information exchange, promotion and gathering of public opinions on the values and philosophy of Ubuntu towards, amongst others, formulation of a national policy framework and public programmes. The first Imbizo mandated the National Heritage Council, working together with all the relevant stakeholders and partners in the Arts, Craft and Heritage fraternity, to work towards the establishment of a national programme of action. Ubuntu Awards Ubuntu Awards seeks to honour any citizen of the world who has distinguished her/himself as an embodiment and a champion of the values and principles of humanity, in manner consistent with Ubuntu. Dr Nelson Mandela became the first recipient of the award in 2006 and Dr Kenneth Kaunda was second in 2007. Fidel Castro received his honour in 2008. The decision to award these people and other qualifying individuals in the future is by a national consensus through a formal process that includes public nominations. Criteria for Selection of Local or National Recipient of Ubuntu Award Generic Selection Criteria for the global recipient - A living embodiment of the values of Ubuntu in terms of the broad definition of Ubuntu; - Epitomize the virtues of compassion, generosity, love, caring, peace, unity, forgiveness, tolerance, selflessness, respect and any other positive value and principle that is consistent with the definition of Ubuntu; - A source of inspiration who has the ability to inculcate, unearth and harness values of Ubuntu in others; - A living example of the positive values of Ubuntu Category-Specific Criteria for the local recipient 1. Must be a permanent resident of South Africa who is well known, for positive values of Ubuntu, in their immediate and surrounding community/ies; 2. An embodiment of the values of Ubuntu and able to express such values; 3. An unsung hero or heroine who has not yet received appropriate honour and recognition , nationally, for his or her accomplishment and achievement in the advancement of Ubuntu in society; 4. Needs to demonstrate appropriate experience and leadership in expressing the positive values of Ubuntu; 5. Demonstrates commitment to the advancement and sustainable expression of the Ubuntu values; 6. Demonstrates perpetual transmission or transfer of values of Ubuntu amongst humanity; 7. Ability to share and transfer values of Ubuntu with others (humanity at large).
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