Nelson Mandela monument by artist Marco Cianfanelli near Howick, South Africa

© Andy Trevaskis/Alamy Stock Photo

Nelson Mandela monument by artist Marco Cianfanelli near Howick, South Africa

Today we’re in Howick, a town near the east coast of South Africa, where this monument honors the anti-apartheid activist and South African president Nelson Mandela, who would have turned 100 today. Like Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the US, Mandela Day—celebrated on Mandela’s birthday—is intended not as a holiday exactly but as a day to answer the ‘global call to action’ by finding ways to engage in service to your local community. The best part about Mandela Day? You don’t need to be from South Africa to observe the event.