- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA CELEBRATES 78TH BIRTHDAY
- Date: 19th July 1996
- Summary: PIETERMARITZBURG, KWAZULU, NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 19, 1996) (RTV) LV SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA'S HELICOPTER LANDS (2 SHOTS) LV MANDELA DISEMBARKS SV LITTLE GIRL ASKS MANDELA WHAT MESSAGE HE HAS FOR CHILDREN, MANDELA REPLIES THAT THEIR PARENTS, THEIR FRIENDS AND ALL SOUTH AFRICANS LOVE THEM (ENGLISH) SV MANDELA WALKING, SURROUNDED BY CHEERING CHILDREN (2 SHOTS) SV MANDELA SHAKING PEOPLE'S HANDS, PEOPLE WISHING HIM HAPPY BIRTHDAY LV/SV MANDELA AT CIRCUS, CLOWN WISHES HIM HAPPY BIRTHDAY (2 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 3rd August 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PIETERMARITZBURG, KWAZULU, NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: People
- Reuters ID: LVA6I5S49EFJT3A1IVYGV4UZ7LD9
- Story Text: INTRO: The South African President Nelson Mandela enjoyed celebrations for his 78th birthday on Friday (July 19).
More than 2,000 disabled children gathered early on a cold Friday morning in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province to wish President Nelson Mandela a happy birthday.
The actual birthday was on Thursday, but Mandela seemed happy to celebrate for a second day.
Disabled children from around the country in wheelchairs, wearing new tracksuits donated for the occasion, waited eagerly to welcome Mandela.
Many of the children were sitting in new wheelchairs, somme of the 400 donated by companies to the black disabled children who have not received help in the past.
Mandela said more attention had to be given to disabled children to incorporate them into society.
"Today (Friday) we acknowledge that for disabled children much, much more must be done -- more to meet their needs, more to ensure they are fully integrated in society, and more to make them feel that they belong to the community in which they live.
"Let all of us join hands and together tell the disabled children of South Africa that we love each of them as our very own," Mandela said.
While Mandela later returned to his Johannesburg home for a meeting with American pop star Michael Jackson on Saturday, his aides said the children would be treated to a weekend of hot air ballooning, game drives and concerts. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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