The world celebrates Mandela Day without Nelson Mandela

Today is Nelson Mandela Day and the first Mandela Day without Mandela. Vatican Radio spoke to South Africa’s Ambassador to Italy, Nomatemba Tambo. 

Ambassador Tambo speaks of Nelson Mandela's legacy with regard to leadership in Africa and how because of Nelson Mandela, many of Africa's great but unsung leaders are rehabilitated by Mandela’s international recognition. Mandela Day “shines a light on a denigrated continent and puts us in a place where people can no longer look at us like that because he (Mandela) is a son of Africa”, says Ambassador Tambo. 

In Italy, a small town called Mandela prepares to celebrate Mandela Day with a 6.7 Km marathon. How did this small town, which has been in existence for many years, get the name Mandela? Listen below to Ambassador Tambo as she speaks to Vatican Radio's Fr. Paul Samasumo.