Zain to sponsor historic concert honouring Nelson Mandela at 90

At the concert, which will be held in London, many of the world's most powerful and instantly recognisable figures and an audience of 46,664 will pay their tributes to one of the world's most loved leaders, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and icon of freedom, Nelson 'Madiba' Mandela, as he turns 90 later this year.

Mr. Mandela will arrive in London in June to take part in a series of events to mark his birthday: a very rare occasion since he is now finally "retired from retirement."

Announcing the sponsorship Zain Group CEO Dr Saad Al Barrak said, "We are proud to be part of this event honouring Mr. Mandela, a global icon whose sacrifices for the African people are well known to all. It is in line with Zain's global ambitions and corporate social responsibility philosophy that we participate in the raising of funds for the Mandela Foundation."

Zain is offering people in Africa the chance to participate in this event by using its mobile phone networks in Africa to send text messages wishing Nelson Mandela a happy birthday. All the money raised from this will be given to the Nelson Mandela Foundation to be used in its charitable work. In addition Zain is making arrangements for people in Africa to see the event.

Mr. Mandela said at the announcement of the concert: "You all know that I am supposed to be retired but my friends and the charitable organisations that bear my name want to use my 90th birthday year to raise funds to continue our work and so of course I want to help them. So, we have a bargain - I am going to London and they will host a concert in Hyde Park, which will raise awareness of our continuing work and much needed funds."

Royalty and politicians from around the world, leading names from business, sport, film and entertainment - and some of the most successful musicians of the past twenty years - make up the birthday list for three days of celebrations, culminating in a three-hour evening concert in London's Hyde Park on Friday June 27, The 46664 Concert Honouring Nelson Mandela at 90.

President Bill Clinton, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Will Smith, Ms. Oprah Winfrey, Robert de Niro and Forest Whitaker are amongst those who will attend some of the events.

In keeping with its drive to promote African arts and culture Zain, through its African subsidiary Celtel, is funding several of Africa's most famous artists including the legendary Papa Wemba and Kenya's Suzanna Owiyo to perform at the international concert.

Other African artists who will perform at the concert to celebrate the life of the world's most respected statesman include Johnny Clegg, Sipho Mabuze, multi-South African Music Awards winner Loyiso, Kurt Darren, the Grammy award winning Soweto Gospel Choir, Aids orphan choir The Children of Agape - the subject of the award winning film feature 'We Are Together' and Sudanese rapper Emmanuel Jal.

Other artists specially invited to perform for Mr. Mandela at the Friday night 90th birthday concert include Queen + Paul Rodgers, Annie Lennox, Simple Minds, Leona Lewis, the Sugababes, Dame Shirley Bassey, Razorlight, Andrea and Sharon Corr, Eddy Grant, and Jamelia, along with international 46664 Ambassadors Italy's Zucchero and Spain's Amaral.

The concert will feature numerous unexpected appearances, with several major artists keeping silent about their involvement in order to take both Mr Mandela and the audience by surprise.

Among the specially chosen artists are many whom Nelson Mandela is recognising for having voiced their support for him over the past 20 years, dating back to London's historic Free Mandela concert of June 1988, which called for Mr. Mandela's release from incarceration on Robben Island and which Mr Mandela has said gave him and his fellow prisoners great inspiration.

Rounding out the twenty years since the Free Mandela event in 1988, the concert will also feature top artists of today including worldwide No.1 artist Leona Lewis and Britain's most successful female group, the Sugababes.

Fundraising events as part of the celebrations will benefit the charitable organisations established by Mr. Mandela: the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, which through their work have sought to bring about change and make a difference to lives in Africa and elsewhere over the past 14 years.

The concert proceeds will go to the 46664 campaign which raises awareness about the impact of AIDS, especially in Africa, and promotes effective HIV prevention measures throughout the world.

As his final public engagement on his visit to the UK, Mr. Mandela's appearance at the concert is sure to be emotional. In stepping down from his campaign work he will use the concert to deliver his message presented in the current 46664 campaign "It's in our hands", that he is handing over the 46664 mantle to each of us to carry forward on his behalf.