
Australians also heeded the call to action on Nelson Mandela International Day with the launch of the Mandela’s Day Kitchen, a massive cook-up at a Our Big Kitchen, a community kitchen facility in Bondi, Sydney, which resulted in 670 meals being made in 67 minutes to the benefit of local communities and charities in need.
“We hope that Mandela’s Day Kitchen inspires people all around the world to believe that through our own actions, we can help change the world… one meal at a time.” (Photos: Mandela’s Day Kitchen Facebook page)The Mandela’s Day Kitchen, which was registered as an official event with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, is billed as a culinary world first, and saw both Australians and South African expatriates sharpening their knives, dusting off their aprons and setting aside their time for the greater good.
FUELLING COMMUNITY BUILDING
“Food touches everyone on some level,” said Our Big Kitchen founder Dovid Slavin. “We turn raw food into cooked food and we add a dollop of love, community building and tangible compassion. It is our fervent hope that the inspiration of Nelson Mandela fuels more community building come July 18th.”
“Australians are passionate about food and cooking, and the response to this Call To Action for Mandela’s Day Kitchen has been overwhelming,” say Creators Alison Gregg and Cheryl Adamson. “The Unveiling on 18 July 2012 forms part of a long-term commitment to create a Global Cooking Community for Mandela, with positive discussions already underway with the likes of Brand South Africa, The Australian Culinary Federation and The South African Chefs Association.”
Over the following 12 months, further Phases of Mandela’s Day Kitchen will roll out, not only to leverage and strengthen ties between Mandela’s home country, South Africa and Australia, but to ultimately extend across global borders to entice and invite people in other countries to share and showcase 67 minutes of cooking, in honour of a man who has truly made his mark on the world.
Brand South Africa CEO Miller Matola speaks about the Mandela’s Day Kitchen“Mandela has said that the future is in our hands. Nelson Mandela International Day not only provides a wonderful platform to celebrate his legacy, but a unique opportunity to honour and embrace the values he represents,” concludes Alison Gregg.
“We hope that Mandela’s Day Kitchen inspires people all around the world to believe that through our own actions, we can help change the world… one meal at a time.”
INCREDIBLE MAN
During his lifetime, Nelson Mandela has been a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker, and the first democratically elected President of a free South Africa. Presented with the Nobel Peace Prize for his lifetime achievements in 1993, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared that “Nelson Mandela is a living embodiment of the highest values of the United Nations”.
Inspired by an incredible man who has selflessly devoted 67 years of his life to the service of humanity, the United Nations declared Nelson Mandela’s birthday on 18 July, Nelson Mandela International Day; an annual day of humanitarian action, calling each and every one of us to give 67 minutes of our time to serve our local communities.
2011’s Nelson Mandela International Day was been observed by the world as far afield as The United Arab Emirates, Ireland, Canada, Belgium, Zambia and Mexico, and 2012 saw Australia being added to that list.