Ad Campaign Aims to Put Mandela Day on Volunteer Calendar

A public-relations campaign is under way to promote a national day of volunteering in honor of Nelson Mandela, reports The New York Times.

Mandela Day, created by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the advocacy group 46664, aims to encourage people to perform 67 minutes of community service on July 18, Mr. Mandela’s birthday, in recognition of the 67 years the former president of South Africa has so far spent working for racial and social justice.

Amid other collaborations between charities and the White House to brand existing holidays and occasions as opportunities for volunteerism, Mandela Day’s organizers are using TV ads, Web video, and other public-relations tools to introduce and promote the new holiday.

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