Wellesley Holds Memorial Celebration for Mandela on December 12
At the December 10 memorial service for Nelson Mandela in Soweto, tens of thousands of South Africans gathered with presidents and prime ministers, kings and queens, artists and celebrities from around the world to pay tribute to the man who was remembered as “a beacon of light, a lone star,” “a force of leadership,” and “the last great liberator of the 20th century.”
Media outlets from around the world reported on the services for the anti-apartheid revolutionary, former president, philanthropist, and inspirational icon.
And here at Wellesley, the community shares the world's sentiments. “It is difficult to contemplate a world without Nelson Mandela,” says Wellesley President H. Kim Bottomly. “His visionary leadership has made this world a better place. And his legacy will continue to influence all of us for years to come.”
On Thursday, December 12, at 4 p.m., the Wellesley community is encouraged to attend a memorial celebration for Mandela to be held at the Multifaith Center. The memorial will feature remarks from Wellesley faculty members Selwyn Cudjoe, the Margaret E. Deffenbaugh and LeRoy T. Carlson Professor in Comparative Literature and Professor of Africana Studies, and Professor of Philosophy Ifeanyi Menkiti. Author Charlene Smith, who wrote Mandela and America, will also speak.
The event is co-sponsored by Harambee House, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, the Africana Studies department, the Wellesley African Students' Association, the Partnership for Diversity and Inclusion, and Slater International Center.
For other news coverage of the tributes to Mandela, see: