18 July is Mandela Day, which acknowledges Nelson Mandela's values, dedication to the service of humanity and struggle for peace throughout the world. UNISON North West will once again honour Mandela Day by taking part in the My67 campaign.
Nelson Mandela’s fight for justice began in 1942 and for 67 tireless years he continued to fight for social justice and human rights. The My67 programme encourages people to give 67 minutes of their day to help someone else, ideally on Mandela Day (18 July) or during Mandela Week (13-21 July)
It is a day where Nelson Mandela’s life’s work is celebrated annually through acts of kindness and 67 ways for people of all ages to get involved are suggested in the Mandela Day Resource Pack. You can also download a range of resources from the Nelson Mandela Day website.
Last year, several UNISON branches took part in Mandela My67. UNISON Liverpool worked with Liverpool City Council and the Inclusive Cities project to pay for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers to undertake a free 67 minute taster session at local leisure services. The branch also distributed 67 free passes to Liverpool's leisure facilities which allowed 2 months free entry.
UNISON Liverpool Branch Secretary Babs Hennessy said at the time: "Liverpool City UNISON branch are proud to be involved in the My67 project and to help celebrate Nelson Mandela's birthday."
UNISON Merseytravel organised a 67 minute concert by a local choir and dedicated 67 minutes to securing donations for local food banks.
This year, Mandela Week will take place in the context of the pandemic and so the way we honour Nelson Mandela's legacy will be different, but never has it been more important to bring our communities together.
Ideas for how your branch can take part in Mandela My67:
- Organise a virtual community event in Mandela's memory in order to bring people together.
- Donate funds or resources to those in need in your local community.
- Do a 67 minute activity to raise money for a charity e.g. sponsored silence or sponsored run.
- Spend 67 minutes with isolated or lonely people in your community (in a socially distanced way or virtually).
- Give away 67 spaces for a local activity to those who may not be able to afford it.
- Film a 67 second video about what Mandela means to you and why you are supporting My67.
- Get in touch with your employer about their plans for My67.
Be creative! If you are interested in taking part then please contact Lynne Morris: [email protected]
My67: Anti-Racism is a Trade Union Issue:
Regional Webinar: Monday 13 July, 7pm
One way you can participate in Mandela Week is by attending the 67 minute regional webinar discussing Mandela's legacy, UNISON's role in the anti-apartheid movement, UNISON's role in anti-racist campaigns since then, the Black Lives Matter movement, the challenges facing us today and the next steps for trade unions in tackling racism. The need for political education as a tool with which to combat racism will be discussed throughout. Speakers will include:
- Kim Johnson, MP for Liverpool Riverside: Liverpool's first Black MP and until recently, a very active member of UNISON North West, especially in the regional Black and Women's self-organised groups.
- Ameen Hadi: Chair of UNISON North West's Black Members Committee and Treasurer of Salford City UNISON branch.
- Izzy McVicar: Director of Community Heart- an organisation established to support the continued struggle of the people of South Africa to overcome the awful legacy of apartheid.
- Jason Hunter: Area Organiser for UNISON North West, Labour Link Organiser and Hope Not Hate activist: Worked on a variety of local and regional anti-fascist campaigns across many years.
More speakers TBC. The latter part of the meeting will be an open discussion with time for questions and comments.
It would be appreciated if UNISON branches could circulate the details of the webinar to members. To register for this meeting and receive joining details, please email [email protected] with your name and the name of your UNISON branch.