Sunderland in Nelson Mandela charity deal

Started by Shola Sholaz, Mar 01, 2013, 02:10 AM

Shola Sholaz

Over the next 18 months, the Premier League side will support fundraising initiatives for the charity set up by the former South African president.
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The match against Manchester United on 30 March will kick off the fundraising.
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"We want to take his message of reconciliation and social justice as far and as wide as possible," said club vice-chairman David Miliband.
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Mr Miliband, a politician and former UK foreign secretary, said the club had been honoured to be chosen.
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"It's a great validation of the community and charitable work we do," he told BBC Swahili TV.
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Achmat Dangor, who heads the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said the partnership would help spread the anti-apartheid fighter's message to young people worldwide through the football club, Sunderland's own charitable foundation and work in Africa.
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"It will give us an outreach we haven't got yet," he said.
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"We get many offers of partnerships but what Sunderland did was something unique and generous and unconditional, there was nothing like: 'Can you give us something in return?'" he said.
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"They're going to help raise funds to sustain our organisation - for us to do our work we must maintain our independence and live up to Nelson Mandela's ethos of inclusivity and reconciliation and social justice."
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Last year, Sunderland agreed a deal with not-for- profit group Invest in Africa to become the official shirt sponsor of the Black Cats.
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Invest in Africa is a partnership of companies formed to promote African business opportunities.

Folami David

That's very thoughtful of them. It is very reasonable for them to be part of such projects.