Nelson Mandela International Day

18 July is Nelson Mandela's birthday, and in November 2009, the UN General Assembly declared 18 July  Nelson Mandela International Day in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom. It is a call to action for people everywhere to take responsibility for making the world a better place, one small step at a time, just as Nelson Mandela did.
You can find further information about the Day, and about Mandela's life, on the UN's Nelson Mandela International Day web pages and also on the Nelson Mandela Foundation website.
The BBC website has a range of information about Nelson Mandela that could be useful in helping you celebrate this day in school. There is a profile of Mandela in its 'historic figures' section. There are also various film clips on aspects of Mandela's life in the BBC Learning Zone.