Thread: All living presidents - except George H.W. Bush - will attend Mandela's memoria

Obamas and all living presidents - except George H.W. Bush - will attend Mandela's memorial in South Africa

• President Obama and Michelle will travel to South Africa but specific travel details have not been released
• Former President George W. Bush and Laura 'gratefully accepted' the Obama's invitation to join them on Air Force One for the trip to Africa
  
• Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary will also attend the memorial along with former president Jimmy Carter
  
• The elder Bush, 89, will not be attending likely due to ill health
  
• Public memorial service will be held at Johannesburg soccer stadium
  
• Mandela will be laid to his final rest in his hometown of Qunu
• Funeral plans were developed 10 years ago when his health took a turn
  

By SNEJANA FARBEROV, MEGHAN KENEALLY and ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 01:03 EST, 8 December 2013 | UPDATED: 09:37 EST, 8 December 2013

The White House says President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will attend a Tuesday memorial service in South Africa honoring Nelson Mandela.

The service will take place at a stadium in Johannesburg.

The Obamas will be accompanied on Air Force One by former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush. Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, along with former President Jimmy Carter, will also attend memorials for Mandela in South Africa.President George HW Bush is the only living U.S. president not scheduled to make the trip to South Africa - most likely due to his health.

President Bush's spokesman Jim McGrath tweeted Friday: '41 and Mrs Bush cannot accept Pres Obama's kind invitation to attend Pres Mandela's funeral. They will be there in spirit.'

American envoy: All of the living presidents except George H.W. Bush will fly in Air Force One to attend Mandela's memorial Tuesday




Paying respects: All of the living presidents except George H.W. Bush (left) will attend services for Mandela in South Africa

A state funeral for Mandela will take place December 15 in the anti-apartheid leader's hometown, capping off a 10-day mourning period.

The U.S. presidents are just a few on a long list of international dignitaries who are expected to attend the memorial services.
Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that he will be attending the funeral and Prince Charles is expected to join him.
Several celebrities who had personal ties to the late great leader, such as Oprah Winfrey and U2 frontman Bono, are also expected to attend the service.

Desmond Tutu, a long-time friend of Mr Mandela and former archbishop of Cape Town, is the clear frontrunner for leading the service.


Former President Bill Clinton is also set to attend the state funeral and will be joined by Hilary Clinton


Comrades: President Carter serves as a member of The Elders, an international peace organization started by Mandela in 2007 which beings together aging statesman from around the world

U.S. President George W. Bush meets with former South African George W Bush meets Mandela at the White House in May 2005. Mandela was a big critic of the U.S. war in Iraq

Mourners have gathered to dance and sing songs of freedom outside his home as the world celebrates the life of the adored statesman who brought peace and equality to his country and died last night aged 95.

He passed away at home in Johannesburg at 8.50pm Thursday and his body was moved to a military hospital in Pretoria Friday morning, where he is under armed guard.

South African president Jacob Zuma announced Friday afternoon that Mandela’s state funeral will be held in Qunu, the village where he grew up, and will cap 10 days of national mourning.

The first major event will be on December 10, where a memorial service will be held at the Johannesburg soccer stadium that hosted the 2010 World Cup final, and holds 94,000 people.

Representing Britain: Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, seen with Mandela at a photo shoot for his 90th birthday in London, will pay their respects

Lighter note: The two saw one another in Amsterdam in 2002 as well during the Dutch Royal wedding of Queen Beatrix's eldest son

Between December 11 and December 13 his embalmed body will lie in state in a glass-fronted coffin at the Union Buildings in Pretoria , where he was inaugurated as president on May 10, 1994.

On day nine, plans have been made for a military aircraft to fly Mr Mandela to Mthatha, the main town in the South African province of Eastern Cape.

His casket will then be taken by the military on a gun carriage to Qunu, his home village.

Later ANC leaders, local chiefs and Mandela's family are expected to gather for a private night vigil.

On the final day, Mandela will finally be laid to rest in the grounds of his family home in Qunu, where thousands of people- including world leaders- will gather for the state funeral.

Preparations for funeral are expected to bring the country of 53 million to a virtual standstill.

The sheer number of dignitaries, including numerous heads of state, is sure to spell a logistical nightmare for the South African government, which will be tasked with providing air-tight security during the solemn event.

According to several sources involved in planning the state funeral, the 10-day occasion will combine both Western traditions and those of Mandela's native clan, the Thembu.

At some stage during days one to four, Thembu elders are expected to gather for a first ceremony called 'the closing of the eyes' either at his home or in the mortuary.



The public will have a chance to say goodbye to their beloved father figure during a memorial service at the Johannesburg soccer stadium (above) that hosted the 2010 World Cup

After the ceremony, it is believed his body will be embalmed at the mortuary, thought to be a military hospital in Pretoria.

No formal public events are expected to take place until day five, December 10, when mourners will have a chance to say goodbye to their beloved father figure during a service at the 94,000-capacity Johannesburg soccer stadium that hosted the 2010 World Cup.
It is not clear whether Mandela's casket will be taken there.

On days six to eight, December 11 to 13, the anti-apartheid hero's body is earmarked to lie in state in a glass-topped coffin at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was inaugurated as president on May 10, 1994.

On day nine, plans have been made for a military aircraft to fly Mr Mandela to Mthatha, the main town in the South African province of Eastern Cape.

Star-studded event: The memorial service is expected to draw many celebrities who had a personal relationship with Mandela, including Oprah Winfrey pictured here in 2002

Friends: U2 front man Bono, with Mandela at his Johannesburg home in 2002, is thought to have been invited

His casket will then be taken by the military on a gun carriage to Qunu, his home village, where the former leader spent his childhood years.

To mark the formal passing of responsibility to his family, the South African flag that is expected to drape his coffin will be replaced by a traditional Xhosa blanket.

Later, ANC leaders, local chiefs and Mandela's family are expected to gather for a private night vigil.

On the final day, Mandela will finally be laid to rest in the grounds of his family home in Qunu, where thousands of people, including heads of state will gather for the state funeral.

Mr Mandela often spoke with great love of his first home where his family members, including his children who predeceased him, rest.
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President Jacob Zuma announces death Nelson Mandela



The family plot is located just a few yards from the home he shared with his mother as a child and the one which he built following his release from Victor Verster Prison.

He loved Qunu 'in the unconditional way a child loves his first home' and spent holidays and special occasions here.

The protocol for the funeral preparations was drawn up more than a year ago, around the time when Mr Mandela's health took a turn for the worse, and it may be altered in the coming days.

Mourners will be able to share their thoughts about Mandela’s passing in condolence books that will be made available in all foreign missions, the Nelson Mandela Foundation headquarters and other institutions, according to The Guardian, which has obtained a copy of the protocol.

Celebrities discuss Mandela's legacy prior to his death




It has also been reported that the South African Government is in talks with the BBC team that filmed the Royal Wedding in 2011 to get help with the world wide broadcast of the funeral of a global icon.

Guests at the funeral will include Mr Obama, the first lady and their daughters. Bill and Hillary Clinton, who knew Mr Mandela well, are also expected to make an appearance.

The scale and significance of the planned funeral is already being compared to the 2005 service for Pope John Paul II, which was attended by 2million people, among them five kings and 70 presidents.

FINAL GOODBYES FOR A FATHER FIGURE: A RUNDOWN OF 10-DAY MEMORIAL

Days one to four (Today to December 9): According to sources involved in planning the state funeral, the 10-day occasion will combine both Western traditions and those of Mandela's native clan, the Thembu.

Thembu elders expected to gather for a first ceremony called 'the closing of the eyes' either at his home or in the mortuary.

After the ceremony, it is believed his body will be embalmed at the mortuary, thought to be a military hospital in Pretoria.

Day five: No formal public events are expected to take place the fifth day when mourners will have a chance to say goodbye to their beloved father figure during a service at the Johannesburg soccer stadium that hosted the 2010 World Cup.

It is not clear whether Mandela's casket will be taken there.

Days six to eight: The anti-apartheid hero's body is earmarked to lie in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was inaugurated as president on May 10, 1994.

Day nine: Plans have been made for a military aircraft to fly Mr Mandela to Mthatha, the main town in the South African province of Eastern Cape.

His casket will then be taken by the military on a gun carriage to Qunu, his home village, where the former leader spent his childhood years.

To mark the formal passing of responsibility to his family, the South African flag that is expected to drap his coffin will be replaced by a traditional Xhosa blanket.

Later, ANC leaders, local chiefs and Mandela's family are expected to gather for a private night vigil.

Day ten (Sunday, December 15): Mandela will finally be laid to rest in the grounds of his family home in Qunu, where thousands of people, including heads of state will gather for the state funeral.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2520143/Obamas-living-presidents-attend-Mandelas-memorial-South-Africa.html

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