Let’s celebrate Nelson Mandela Day! Endorsed by the United Nations, we celebrate Nelson Mandela's accomplishments on his birthday by encouraging the globe to devote just 67 minutes-- a minute for each year of Mandela’s service spent fighting for social justice -- to improve the world around us! This is a day to reflect on the values inspired by Mandela and implement them into our everyday lives. Through his deep commitment to justice, human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as his profound belief in the equality and dignity for every person, Mandela has inspired many across the world to continue the push for change.

As we make our way into the weekend, we remember “It always seems impossible until it’s done” - Nelson Mandela. This year's celebration, we encourage you to live TTEC's value of Live life passionately while devoting 67 minutes and celebrate by engaging in the following:

1. Read to someone: visit your local library or home for the blind or elderly. If you can’t be there in person, host a zoom session or recording for them to listen in! If all else fails, donate some of your favorite books for care workers to read to them.  

2. Lunch with a friend: The past year has affected us all in different ways - make time for a friend, even if it’s just a phone call or break away for lunch or ice cream; check in on their mental health and see what you can do to help. Sometimes all we need is someone to listen.

3. Help a neighbor: help with gardening or yard work, or if you’re a baker send them some baked goods! Who doesn’t love a good cookie or banana bread?

4. Give back - Food bank or soup kitchen: Help support those who have limited resources to food and water this summer through volunteer work or donating food and drinks at your local shelter.

5. Donate clothes: do you have anything in your closet that hasn’t been used in a while? Or maybe it’s something you just don’t need anymore. Either way, make someone’s day a bit better by donating a pair of shoes, hat, shorts, or t-shirt.

6. Shelter: Some people in our communities don’t have a roof over their heads at night. Research what your local community does to help. This can be helping build a home for a veteran or simply donating tents, blankets, or pillows to your local shelter.  

7. Clean around your Community: get with your community to help clean up trash or fix up a rundown playground or sport areas (basketball courts, soccer, and football fields) for local kids.

8. Host a Summer Drive: just like back-to-school drive but make it fun! Anything from sunscreen, and pool floaties to pool toys and beach towels!

9. Educate: Help teach others about this wonderful day while you give back! Who was Nelson Mandela and why do we celebrate him by giving back to the community?

AND NUMBER 10 OF COURSE… Help someone in search of a job: Offer to help look over their resume and role play an interview. We have a great Employee Referral Program for associates that could help land them a job too (check out Mosaic for more details if you're a TTECer)! If you're looking for a new career, check out our Career Paths on TTECjobs.com!

Want to do more than one? Go for it, each will help make the world a better place for future generations! Can’t decide which one you want to partake in? Look for our post on Instagram to screenshot our Spinning Wheel of Giving Back and take part in the celebration!!

We’d love to see your ways of celebrating! Share them on your socials and use #ExperienceTTEC and #NelsonMandelaDay