What Nelson Mandela International Day means in 2025

18 July 2025 marks the 107^th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birthday. It’s also a day where his visionary leadership and commitment to caring for people are missed more than ever. As an organisation committed to continuing Madiba’s legacy, GIFS dedicates its 20^th anniversary in honour of South Africa’s first democratically-elected leader. For us, Mandela Day with acts of kindness is our way of life.

We remember the weight of heaviness that fell across South Africa on 5 December 2013 when news broke that our beloved Tata Madiba, as he was fondly known, had passed away. That somber mood gave way for introspection about what we’d lost as a country. There was also renewed commitment to striving to do better for humanity as the world mourned the loss of one of the greatest sons of South African soil.

GIFS promised to do its bit to continue Madiba’s legacy and this year we’ve proud of how we’re faring, while acknowledging there’s so much more work to be done to ensure educational empowerment for young people everywhere.

GIFS has taken to heart Madiba’s words, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” We were proud to continue our bespoke Future of Education series by ramping up this year’s edition to match our global expansion. We welcomed delegates from South Africa and abroad as we delivered GIFS’ Future of Education: A 5-Day Global Exchange.

We truly felt the power of intention as we executed the event that included our effort to move the needle when it comes to turning around South Africa’s greylisting status. As that discussion unfolds this month, we’re proud to have hosted the first-of-its-kind in South Africa, the Anti-Money Laundering Course. The US-based Financial and International Business Association (FIBA) was brought in as a partner to deliver the Anti-Money Laundering Certification – a South African first to help industry leaders with the knowledge and tools to combat financial crime.

Never did we miss Madiba more than when we heard from elders during a talk as part of our exchange series. It was Nelson Mandela himself who formed ‘The Elders’ in 2007 as an independent group of global leaders. Their mission is to work to ensure peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet. Struggle stalwart Jay Naidoo is now an elder and spoke passionately about our past as a country and, more importantly, of our shared responsibility for the future. There were echoes of Madiba when Naidoo shared, “Giving is not charity. It is investment. Investment in long-term stability; in healthier, peaceful and thriving communities, in a skilled, resilient workforce, and in an economy that works for everyone. Profit without purpose leads to collapse. Purpose without courage leads to irrelevance. Servant leadership is where the two meet and where hope begins.”

For us in 2025, ‘where hope begins’ is our refrain. In a world where community, care and commitment to helping each other are becoming rarer, GIFS is proud to champion education empowerment. We’re the official project managing partner for Global Goals 2030: Africa Scholarship and we’re humbled that our learners have exposure to international, accredited course offerings from the comfort of wherever they choose to learn in South Africa.

This International Mandela Day, we call on you to do your bit to spread Madiba magic. Whether it’s a grand gesture or a small act of kindness, the power to change the world for the better lies with all of us.

View our GIFS Mandela Day Newsletter HERE