Across South Africa, people are celebrating the birthday of South Africa's first black president, Nelson Mandela, who turns 94.
The beloved dignitary is spending the day with his family in his home village of Qunu in South Africa's Eastern Cape province with his favorite dish: tripe with samp (ground cornmeal) and birthday cake.
A mile from his home, at the Nomoscow school, students stood in line and sang, forming the number 94. For the town of Qunu it's a celebrated local event and an important connection for the small village where Mandela grew up and eventually returned.
Tributes and birthday wishes from around the globe have been pouring in for Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison under apartheid in South Africa and became president during the countries first democratic election after apartheid in 1994. He is, to many around the world, an inspiration and hero. Mandela, who retired from public life in 2004, rarely appears in public.
Bill and Chelsea Clinton visited Mandela on Tuesday and Barack and Michelle Obama sent birthday wishes to Mandela. Obama said in a statement, "On behalf of the people of the United States, we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Nelson Mandela on the occasion of his 94th birthday and the fourth annual Nelson Mandela International Day."
In 2009, the United Nations marked today Nelson Mandela International Day in honor of his birthday. The day is celebrated through acts of community service.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
