state MeMorial serviCe

Nelson Mandela, the first President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, elected in a fully representative democratic election, died on 5 December 5 2013 from complications linked to a chronic respiratory infection. On 10 December 2013, in his address at the State Memorial Service for Nelson Mandela, President Jacob Zuma of the Republic of South Africa referenced his late predecessor thus: ‘’We sing that he is one of a kind, that there is no one quite like him. Nelson Mandela, Nelson Mandela akekho ofana naye.”

Religious representatives at Mandela’s memorial service on 10 December 2013 included Warren goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa; Imam Ebrahim bham of the Islamic Faith; Chair of the h indu Maha Sabha Ashwin trikamjee and Rev. thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Cape town. Considering the universal appeal that Nelson Mandela exerted, contributions from across the South African religious spectrum were entirely appropriate.

Although (Mandela) himself was a Christian, Imam Ebrahim bham, speaking at the memorial service, could refer to Mandela as “our Madiba”, praising the late leader for having “made selfless efforts and lived in a path of peace and reconciliation”. the inter-faith, cross-cultural service was an excellent example of good practice as a fitting tribute to Mandela, who had once written: this mix of flavours would appear to have been the major characteristic of Mandela’s Memorial Service in Nasrec, Johannesburg’s First National bank’s Stadium, extending even to the seating of dignitaries, inclusive of heads of state and government. The Memorial Service for Nelson Mandela, Michael Anthony Lilla, PhD. Assignment Paper submitted Feb. 2014 to the International School of Protocol and Diplomacy, Brussels, Belgium.

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite’’.

After the prayers, African National Congress Chair baleka Mbete sang “Mandela, there is none like you” in Setswana, and then the crowds stood up and joined her, “moving in time to the song under their umbrellas”. A song in Setswana to a Christian Xhosa, following tributes by an Islamic cleric: a fitting brew with which to toast this man for all seasons.

African heads of state included the Prime Minister of Lesotho, the President of Mozambique, the President of Namibia, the President of Uganda, the President of Zimbabwe, and the President of Zambia. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma attended in her capacity as Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

Other notable guests included President barack Obama of the United States and three former presidents of the United States; Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India; Xi Jinping, Vice-President of China; Dilma Rousseff, the President of brazil, François hollande, the President of France; David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Joachim gauck, the President of germany; Stephen harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, and three former Prime Ministers of Canada; Portia Simpson-Miller, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, and Kamla Persad-bissessar, the Prime Minister of trinidad and tobago.

Royal dignitaries attending included the King of the Netherlands, the King of belgium, the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Asturias (the heir Apparent to the Spanish throne), the Crown Prince of Denmark, the Crown Princess of Sweden, the Crown Prince of Norway, the Crown Prince of Japan and Queen Rania of Jordan.

“Online photographs of the attending dignitaries show Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan seated in proximity to President Joachim gauck of germany; President François hollande of France and his predecessor Nikolas Sarkozy seated side by side. President barack Obama of the USA was seated next to Denmark’s Prime Minister helle thorning-Schmidt and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron. this trio was described in one report as “a bunch of giggling teenagers, they grinned as they bunched together, the Scandinavian blonde flirting and pulling Mr Cameron closer into shot, for a quick photograph taken on her smartphone.” ibid. The Memorial Service for Nelson Mandela, Michael Anthony Lilla, PhD.