Community Corner

When is Nelson Mandela's Funeral?

The funeral for Nelson Mandela, who died Thursday at age 95, will be Sunday Dec. 15 in his home village of Qunu, South African President Jacob Zuma announced Friday.

A national day of "prayer and reflection" in South Africa is scheduled Dec. 8, Zuma said. A memorial service is planned Dec. 10 at a stadium in Johannesburg before his body is moved to Pretoria on Dec. 11.

The leader of the anti-apartheid movement will then lie in state in Pretoria from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13.

"President Obama and the First Lady will go to South Africa next week to pay their respects to the memory of Nelson Mandela and to participate in memorial events," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Friday.

Here is part of Zuma's national address Thursday announcing Mandela's death:

My Fellow South Africans,

Our beloved Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the founding President of our democratic nation has departed. 
He passed on peacefully in the company of his family around 20h50 on the 5th of December 2013.

He is now resting. He is now at peace.

Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father. 

Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss.

His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world.

His humility, his compassion, and his humanity earned him their love. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family. To them we owe a debt of gratitude. 

They have sacrificed much and endured much so that our people could be free.

To leave a message of condolence for Mandela's survivors visit the Nelson Mandela Foundation at http://www.nelsonmandela.org.


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