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PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD |
Some of soccer's biggest stars are competing in a charity match at Munich's Allianz Arena to commemorate Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. The world statesman was instrumental in helping secure South Africa the rights to host the 2010 World Cup. Achmat Dangor is the chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He is also an active development professional and has headed up various non-governmental organisations in South Africa, including the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. Project 2010 asked him….  Once again, past and present football stars from around the world have come together to celebrate Nelson Mandela's birthday. Given that sport has played such an important role in his life, this must be an extraordinary honour? Nelson Mandela has always seen sport as one the most effective ways for people to reach out to each other. The beautiful game of football in particular, because it attracts as players, spectators or administrators, millions of people across national, religious, racial and economic divides is ideally suited to helping people overcome strife and find healing. Therefore it is a particular honour to Mr Mandela and the Nelson Mandela Foundation that stars from around the world will gather in Munich, Germany to celebrate his 90th birthday. With all the recent problems that South Africa has experienced - particularly the outbreak of xenophobic violence - do you think the 2010 World Cup could play a key role in unifying the country and the rest of the continent? We recently witnessed the outbreak of violence that targeted mostly fellow Africans resident in our country. Undoubtedly, this strife has its roots in ignorance, poverty and frustration. Hosting the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 will bring economic benefits that will help address some of the underlying causes. Equally important, it will demonstrate to South Africans and the world that our country is capable of embracing people from all over the world, including Africa, a continent that we are an intrinsic part of. What do you see as the greatest legacy the 2010 World Cup will leave for South Africa? The 2010 World Cup will have reinvigorated our self-belief and demonstrated that we are a nation capable of the best and most noble; that we can not only efficiently host world class events but do so with grace and dignity. To quote Nelson Mandela: 'My wish is that South Africans never give up on the belief in goodness.' more interviews...
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