On Wednesday (Nov. 28), a South African newspaper published a Beyonce-penned open letter to Nelson Mandela ahead of the highly-anticipated Mandela 100.
Written for the Sowetan Live, Beyonce opens her letter with a stroke of gratitude for the late revolutionary. “I first met you in 2004 for the 46664 Aids Benefit Concert in Cape Town, and the impact you have had on my life resonates with me today and every day,” she writes. “My entire family holds you in high regard.”
Gearing up to celebrate 100 years since Mandela’s birth at the honorary event, Beyonce remembers Mandela’s gracious disposition. “You were a strategic warrior, a bold activist, and charismatic and well-loved leader. Your vision for dignity, for human rights, for peace and a South Africa free of racism and apartheid, allows us all to turn dreams into reality.”
Presented by the Motsepe Foundation, the event’s host committee is set to include Danai Gurira, Trevor Noah, Naomi Campbell, Dave Chappelle, and Tyler Perry.
Headlined by Beyonce and JAY-Z, the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 will take place Sunday (Dec. 2) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Other acts include Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams, Usher, and Wizkid.
Click here to read the letter in full.
READ MORE: Beyoncé & JAY-Z, Wizkid, Pharrell And More To Headline Global Citizen’s Mandela 100 Fest