BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — Elected officials and the Bed-Stuy community will kick off a week of shows, films, and workshops this Saturday to celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela.
The anti-apartheid leader’s birthday, July 18, is recognized as Nelson Mandela International Day, according to the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
City Councilman Robert Cornegy’s office will host a tribute ceremony at Boys and Girls High School, which will include drumming and dance performances starting at 1 p.m.
Saturday also marks the start of a four-day film festival, complete with panel discussions from local students and community activists.
At last summer’s event, the community named the school’s field after Mandela and held a 67-minute walk to commemorate the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s 67 years of public service, according to a representative from Cornegy's office.
This year’s festivities will expand to include a South African “Freedom” dance class, tutorial on singing the South African national anthem, and a “Madiba Café” poetry slam.
Participating organizations are putting out a call for neighborhood artists to perform in one of three poetry sets on July 23.
The series will culminate in a July 24 closing ceremony, which will be attended by South African Consulate members and former Mayor David Dinkins, according to Stefani Zinerman, Cornegy's chief of staff.
Local vendors are expected to set up shop at the Fulton Street school, and community members can join basketball clinics, exercise classes, and art projects.
Participants are also encouraged to sign up for this year’s 67 minutes of service, which includes planting oak trees at Boys and Girls’ “Mandela Grove,” revitalizing the school’s tennis court, and planting a community garden.
Mandela visited Boys and Girls High School in 1990, and a school co-located in the 1700 Fulton St. building is named after the South African leader.
For the full schedule and more information on the Mandela International Day of Bedford-Stuyvesant, visit the event’s Facebook page.
