USA Africa Dialogue Series - List Expands: At least 100 World Leaders to bid an Icon of Icons Farewell

 From Kings to Paupers, The Lesson is True

More countries are confirming. South Africa's Foreign Ministry  Spokesman Clayson Monyela said 'The world literally is coming to South Africa. I don't think it has ever happened before.'   Well, it has never happened anywhere  in the world. 

 

Some additions - government / official representatives confirmed to be at Mandela's funeral:

• Iran:  President Hassan Rouhani.
• Oman: Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications and Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry.
• Singapore: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam 
•  Vatican: Representing the Pope, Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

 

More than 100 heads of government and former leaders have confirmed.  You better believe it is an unprecedented force of global unity inspired by an Icon of Icons. The South African government is even cautioning world leaders  against attending the funeral at Qunu but as a diplomat puts it, in the African tradition you cannot stop one from doing do.

 

As reported, Queen Elizabeth of England wanted to attend the funeral but was advised against long-haul trips and the logistics.  So the Queen is honoring Mandela's Memory at a service in  Westminster Abbey, an unprecedented, one of its kind  event for a non-British citizen. Prince Charles, the current and all former British Prime Ministers will be in South Africa. Today, Obama, GW Bush and Laura Bush, Mrs. Clinton, Michelle Obama flew to S. Africa - together in Air Force One. They will be joined by Bill Clinton  and Jimmy Carter. George H W Bush is the only living US president who will not attend. His spokesman  indicated the  89-year-old is no longer able to endure long distance travels. 

 

Sure, I am proud of America.  In grave, solemn and significant moments, the country is together, indivisible by  partisanship and some foolishness. Jesse Jackson and  more than 20 congress people will be there.  The philanthropic billionaires are not left behind as Oprah Winfrey and singer-activist Bono are joined by British billionaire Richard Branson and all manners of musicians and stars. And the  ordinary person is key to the history.

 

People, there is context -  a season and reason. Now, is for the world to live up to the example of Mandela....rising above bitterness that would sink less discerning souls. 

 

Mandela, To You We Rise: Mandela Lives! 

 

 

In a message dated 12/9/2013 1:44:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, MsJoe21St@aol.com writes:

Here is the confirmed list (so far) of  government representatives  attending the funeral of the departed icon - Nelson Mandela. The memorial heralding the life of an  unparalleled  Leader among Leaders,  as never been seen, is drawing personalities from all ranks: from former presidents or prime ministers, the likes of  Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, U2's Bono to the common man on the street.  Former  US Presidents Carter, Clinton, GW Bush will make it as well as Britain's Blair and France's Sarkozy. Note:  More representatives may confirm. This absence of a  country on the list does not necessarily indicate which country  is honoring the moment interwoven in the history of times. For example, Egypt ordered its flag lowered in honor of Mandela.  Afghanistan: His Excellency Hamid Karzai, President Algeria: His Excellency Mr Abdelkader Bensalah, Speaker of the Council of the Nation (Senate) – rank above the Prime Minister Angola: His Excellency Mr Manuel Vicente, Vice President Argentina: Mr Amado Boudou, Acting President of Argentina Australia: His Excellency Mr Tony Abbott, MP, Prime Minister Bahamas: Right Honourable Perry Christie, Prime Minister Bangladesh: His Excellency Mr Md. Abdul Hamid MD ABDUL, President Belgium: His Royal Highness King Philippe Benin: His Excellency Boni Yayi, President Botswana: His Excellency Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, President Brazil: Her Excellency Dilma Rousseff, President Burundi: His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President Canada: His Excellency Stephen Harper, Prime Minister Chad: His Excellency Mr Idriss Deby Itno, President China: His Excellency Li Yuanchao, Vice President, Comores: His Excellency Dr Ikiliou Dhoinine, President Congo (Republic of the Congo): His Excellency Mr Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo): His Excellency Joseph Kabila, President Cote d Ivoire: His Excellency President Allassane Ouattara, President Croatia: His Excellency Josipovic Ivo, President Cuba: His Excellency Raul Castro Ruz, President Denmark: His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Federick Djibouti: His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, President Ethiopia: His Excellency Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister Equatorial Guinea: His Excellency Mr Obiang Mbasogo, President France: His Excellency, Francois Hollande, President Finland: His Excellency Sauli Niinisto, President Gabon: His Excellency Ali Bongo Ondimba, President The Gambia: His Excellency Prof Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh, President Sheikh Ghana: His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President Germany: His Excellency Joachim Gauck, President Guyana: His Excellency Donald Ramotar, President Guinea: His Excellency Prof Alpha Conde, President India: His Excellency Pranab Mukherjee, President Ireland: His Excellency Michael D Higgins, President Italy: His Excellency Enrico Letta, Prime Minister Japan: His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Naruhito Jamaica: Her Excellency, Portia Simpson Miller, Prime Minister Jordan: Her Royal Highness, Queen Rania Al Abdullah and His Excellency Prime Minister Dr Abdullah Ensour Kenya: His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President Korea (South): His Excellency Hongwon Chung, Prime Minister Lebanon: His Excellency Mr Najib Mikati, Prime Minister Lesotho: His Excellency, T Thabane, Prime Minister Liberia: Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President Mozambique: President of Mozambique, HE Armando Emilio Guebuza Namibia: His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba, President Niger: His Excellency Issoufou Mahamdou, President New Zealand: Right Hon John Key, Prime Minister Nigeria: His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan, President Niger: His Excellency Mahamadou, President of Niger Norway: His Royal Highness Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway Pakistan: His Excellency Mr Mamnoon Hussain, President Palestinian State: His Excellency Mahmoud Abbas, President Portugal: His Excellency, Anibal Cavaco Silva, President Saudi Arabia: His Royal Highness Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince Saharawi Republic: His Excellency Mr Mohamed Abdelaziz, President Senegal: His Excellency Macky Sall, President Serbia: His Excellency Tomislav Nikolic, President Seychelles: His Excellency Mr James Alix MICHEL Spain: His Royal Highness Felipe de Borbon, The Prince of Asturias Sri Lanka: His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President Sudan: His Excellency Bakri Hassan Salih, Vice President Suriname: His Excellency Desire Delano Bouterse, President Slovenia: His Excellency Pahor, President South Sudan: His Excellency General Salva Kir Mayardit, President Sweden: His Excellency Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria. Switzerland: His Excellency Mr Ulrich Maurer, President Swaziland: His Excellency Dr Sibusiso Dlamini, Prime Minister Suriname: His Excellency Desire Delano Bouterse, President Tanzania: His Excellency Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President Timor-Leste: His Excellency Kay Rala Xanana, Prime Minister Tunisia: His Excellency Mohamed Moncef Marzouki, President Trinidad and Tobago: His Excellency Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister Uganda: His Excellency Yoweri Kagota Museveni, President United Arab Emirates: His Excellency Sheikh Nayahan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture – Special Envoy of the Emir United Kingdom: His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Prime Minister David Cameron United States of America: His Excellency Barack Obama, President Venezuela: His Excellency Nicolas Maduro Moros, President Zimbabwe: His Excellency Robert Gabriel Mugabe, President Zambia: His Excellency Michael Sata, President Arab States League: His Excellency Amb Samir Hosny, Minister African Union Commission: Her Excellency Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson Commonwealth: His Excellency, Mr Kamalesh Sharma European Council: His Excellency Mr Herman van Rompuy, President Mexico: His Excellency Enrique Pena Nieto President of Mexico Mauritius: His Excellency Dr the Honourable Navinchandra, Prime Minister Mauritania: His Excellency Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, President Malawi: Her Excellency Joyce Banda, President Grand Duchy of Luxenbourg: His Royal Highness Henry of Luxembourg, The Grand Duke