Freeman, Goldberg, Franklin, Latifah, Groban And More Set For Nelson Mandela Day Concert 7/18

46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation today announced that Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Will.i.am, T-Pain, Gloria Gaynor, Jesse Clegg and Whoopi Goldberg will join the lineup of artists performing at the Mandela Day concert celebration on July 18th, Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday. The concert originally announced for Madison Square Garden will now be held at historic Radio City Music Hall.

The additional performers will join Aretha Franklin, Wyclef Jean, Queen Latifah, Dave Stewart, Josh Groban and Jesse McCartney, along with Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, the Soweto Gospel Choir, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Chris Chameleon, Freshlyground, Emmanuel Jal, Loyiso, Sipho Mabuse, Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa Mazwai, Suzanna Owiyo and many more.

Further invited guests include France's First Lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and Italy's Zucchero. Hollywood legends and 46664 supporters Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Forest Whitaker, Susan Sarandon and many others will also be in attendance.

"We are so grateful to Madison Square Garden for making their iconic Radio City Music Hall available to us," said Tim Massey International Director of 46664. "We can think of no better home for the launch of Mandela Day than the venue that has a long history of hosting events that give back to the community, such as Comic Relief, VH1's Save the Music and Time's 75th Anniversary."

The concert has been made possible by the continuing support of Zain, a leading mobile telecommunications company that has 24 operations across Africa and the Middle East, who were also one of the main sponsors of the London 90th birthday celebrations. "Mr. Mandela is an iconic statesman whose sacrifice and leadership has had an enormous impact on humanity. Honoring him by raising funds for his foundation is in line with Zain's global ambitions and corporate social responsibility philosophy," said Dr Saad Al Barrak, CEO of Zain.

The concert is the culmination of a week-long series of events in New York City in celebration of the first-ever Mandela Day, designed as a call around the world for people to honor Nelson Mandela's inspiration and values. The activities include a Ralph Applebaum designed exhibition of Mr. Mandela's life and the work of his many 46664 ambassadors, as well as a gala fundraising dinner, both at Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall.

Mr. Mandela has been making an imprint on the world for 67 years since he actively became involved in campaigning for the human rights of every South African and now ‘Mandela Day' calls upon each of us to give 67 minutes of our time to helping others, with the idea that each individual has the ability to make an imprint and make the world a better place.

‘46664 - Mandela Day Celebration' Radio City Music Hall concert tickets prices range from $75-$500, with VIP packages available. All tickets are available at ticketmaster.com, livenation.com, thegarden.com and charge by phone at 800-745-3000. For VIP packages visit ticketmaster.com. Current ticket holders will be contacted about re-seating. For further information call Madison Square Garden Guest Relations at 212-465-6225.

For more information visit www.MandelaDay.com.

46664, the campaign that bears Mr. Mandela's Robben Island prison number, was originally launched to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. Working alongside the other Mandela organizations, it is now expanding its focus to champion Mr. Mandela's broader humanitarian work. A centrepiece of 46664's activities will be the celebration of Mandela Day each year, and funds raised from Mandela Day will support the ongoing work of 46664 and the Nelson Mandela charitable organizations.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation through its Centre of Memory and Dialogue contributes to the making of a just society by promoting the values, vision and work of its Founder. As custodian of Nelson Mandela's historic papers, the Centre of Memory makes his life and times accessible to the world. The Dialogue program provides a safe space where disadvantaged communities, policy makers and non-governmental organizations enter into dialogue aimed at finding solutions to critical social issues such as poverty and AIDS.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation, which houses Nelson Mandela's personal office, embodies the spirit of reconciliation, ubuntu, and social justice. Its work is a celebration of Nelson Mandela's life.

The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund came into existence in 1995. This was within a year of Nelson Mandela having taken political office a founding President of South Africa's democracy. Itself a part of the country's history, the Fund shares the age of South Africa's 15 years of democracy with rich lessons to share on appropriate models of child care and youth development.

Initially a grant-making organisation, the Fund was for the strategic period 2005-2010 repositioned in 1999 as a development and an advocacy agency. Being a rights-based and child-centred organisation, the Fund's target group is children and youth from 0-22 years of age. Its vision, to Change the Way Society Treats in Children and Youth, places it in the league of UNICEF and is similarly committed to creating a world fit for children. The Fund carries out its mandate through South African-based implementing partners within its four key areas of focus. The approximately R35m it grants per annum is according to a rigorous selection process following a public call for proposals.

Successful applicants are funded on a three-year funding cycle. The raising of its funding is a joint responsibility of its resource mobilisation unit, programmes department and established offices in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and the Netherlands. All are registered in accordance with applicable laws in their respective countries.

The Mandela Rhodes Foundation Was established in 2003 as a partnership between Mr Mandela and the Rhodes Trust in the United Kingdom, with the specific brief of developing exceptional leadership capacity in Africa. The Foundation's flagship programme, the Mandela Rhodes Scholarships, seeks out and then nurtures young Africans who demonstrate academic ability and broader leadership potential. The Mandela Rhodes Scholarships offer Scholars educational opportunities at Honours or Masters level, coupled with a unique leadership development programme and personalised mentoring.