Due to the current public health situation, almost all events are currently suspended, cancelled or in limbo. A few are transferred online. More information will be posted when this situation changes.
In the absence of most of our public stalls, some books and Mandela-related material can be found online at http://bit.ly/mandelaebay
Recent and Forthcoming Events:
8th Jan., 2022 110th anniversary of the foundation of the African National Congress of South Africa
4th Feb., 2022 25th annniversary of South Africa's new constitution coming into force
4th - 6th March, 2022 Stall at Scottish Labour Party Conference, Glasgow (Covid permitting)
24th April, 2022 Glasgow Kiltwalk
25th - 27th April, 2022 Stall at Scottish Trades Union Congress, Covid permitting.
29th May, 2022 Aberdeen Kiltwalk
18th July, 2022 Nelson Mandela International Day
Aug. 2022 Stall at Fair Trade on the Fringe, Castle St., Edinburgh.
21st Aug., 2022 Dundee Kiltwalk
18th Sept., 2022 Edinburgh Kiltwalk
7 - 9th Oct., 2022 Virtual Kiltwalk - individual activity and location as chosen by each participant.
Earlier events:
10th Dec., 2021 Human Rights Day, and 25th anniversary of the signing into law of South Africa's new constitution by President Nelson Mandela, at Sharpeville
20th Nov., 2021 ACTSA Scotland AGM
26th Sept., 2021 Glasgow Kiltwalk
6th - 15th August, 2021 Stall at Fair Trade on the Fringe, Castle St., Edinburgh
4th August, 2021 40th anniversary of the original ceremony awarding the Freedom of Glasgow to Nelson Mandela - held in absentia as he was imprisoned on Robben Island. The occasion was commemorated online, in social media and in the Press.
18th July, 2021 Nelson Mandela International Day. Marked with an online video, featuring Marah Louw
23rd - 25th April, 2021 Virtual Kiltwalk.
8th Jan., 2021 Anniversary of the foundation of the ANC in 1912. Usual annual social not possible, but celebrated on social media.
21st Nov., 2020 ACTSA Scotland AGM, held online.
9th Oct., 2020 27th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's visit to Scotland, marked by online video of the events that day in 1993.
11th - 13th Sept., 2020 Virtual Kiltwalk, including participants raising funds for the Mandela Scottish Memorial.
10th - 16th August, 2020 Stall at Fair Trade on the Fringe in Castle St., Edinburgh (with all essential precautions) - despite the cancellation of the Fringe and all the Edinburgh Festivals.
18th July, 2020 Nelson Mandela International Day online celebrations.
1st July, 2020 Start of new ACTSA Scotland membership system.
11th March, 2020 Stall at Strathclyde History Club lecture by Brian Filling.
3rd March, 2020 Visit to Glasgow of Omar Badsha, South African History Online.
11th Feb., 2020 30th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
11th Jan., 2020 Annual ANC anniversary social, Glasgow UNISON premises.
14th - 23rd December, 2019 Stall at Ethical Christmas Fair, Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh.
23rd November, 2019 ACTSA Scotland AGM.
28th - 29th Ocotber, 2019 Stall at STUC Women's Conference, Perth.
12th - 13th October, 2019 Stall at Co-operative Party Conference, Glasgow.
9th October, 2019 Benefit night at The Stand Comedy Club, Glasgow for the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation.
5th -6th September, 2019 Stall at STUC Black Workers Conference, Clydebank.
25th August, 2019 Stall at South Lanarkshire UNISON Fun Day, New Lanark.
12th - 18th August, 2019 Stall at Fair Trade on the Fringe, Castle St., Edinburgh.
18th July, 2019 Nelson Mandela International Day. Celebration at Glasgow City Chambers, including the launch by artist Jim Cathcart of a greetings card based on his 1981 Mandela Freeman of Glasgow banner.
10th May, 2019 25th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's Inauguration as President of South Africa
6th May, 2019 May Day Cabaret Benefit Night at Oran Mor, Glasgow, for the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation
26th April, 2019 25th anniversary of polling in Glasgow City Chambers for South Africans in northern half of UK in South Africa's first non-racial election, and of the election's opening day. The Anti-Apartheid Movement Scottish Committee was an official Observer organisation at the Glasgow poll.
15th - 17th April, 2019 Stall at STUC, Dundee
8th - 10th March, 2019 Stall at Scottish Labour Party Conference, Dundee
12th January, 2019 Annual ANC Anniverary Social, STUC premises, Woodlands Road, Glasgow, with George Reid and his ceilidh band.
5th - 22nd December, 2018 Stall at Dundee Ethical Christmas Fair, City Square, Dundee
5th December, 2018 5th anniversary of the death of Nelson Mandela
1st December, 2018 AGM of ACTSA Scotland
24th November, 2018 Stall at STUC's annual St. Andrew's Day anti-racism march and rally, Glasgow.
29th - 30th October, 2018 Stall at STUC Women's Conference, Dundee
13th October, 2018 "Banner Tales" oral history event, with discussion and contributions based round a banner on Nelson Mandela's Freedom of Glasgow (painted by Jim Cathcart) and one on the Sechaba International Festival and Conferemce. The event was recorded, and the transcript will be made publicly available. Organised by Glasgow Museums, Glasgow University, Glasgow Caledonian University Archives Centre, ACTSA Scotland and the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation.
9th October, 2018 25th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's 1993 visit to Glasgow to receive the Freedoms of 9 UK local authorities. ACTSA Scotland held a conference that day "Celebrating Mandela's Centenary: Partnerships for Development" addressed by South African High Commissioner Thembi Tambo and Ben Macpherson, MSP, Scottish Minister for External Affairs and International Develpment, plus speakers involved in a variety of partnership projects. Much information was exchanged.
24th August, 2018 Nelson Mandela Centenary Gala Dinner in Hilton Glasgow hotel, organised by the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation as a fundraiser for the proposed statue of Mandela in Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow
13th - 19th August, 2018 Stall at "Fair Trade on the Fringe" on Castle St., Edinburgh.
18th July to 6th November, 2018 Small display in Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, of objects, leaflets and photographs from local Anti-Apartheid history under the title "Nelson Mandela and Glasgow".
18th July, 2018 Centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela. Kronendal Music Academy Jazz Band performed in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and at an ACTSA Scotland celebration concert that evening in St. George's Tron church in Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow. The usual Nelson Mandela International Day reception was hosted by Glasgow City Council and ACTSA Scotland, in collaboration with the Scottish Government and the STUC.
July, 2018 Visit to Scotland by the Jazz Band of Kronendal Music Academy, Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, at the invitation of Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and with assistance from ACTSA Scotland.
6th May, 2018 Stall at Glasgow May Day rally
July 18th, 2018 Centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela
16 - 18th April, 2018 Stall at Scottish Trades Union Congress, Aviemore
9th - 11th March, 2018 Stall at Scottish Labour Party Conference, Dundee
13th Jan., 2018 Annual social to mark the anniversary of the founding of the ANC, in the STUC offices, Glasgow
December 4th - 23rd, 2017 Stall at Ethical Christmas Fair, City Square, Dundee
August 14th - 20th, 2017 Stall at Fair Trade on the Fringe, Castle St., Edinburgh
July 18th, 2017 Nelson Mandela International Day event in Glasgow City Chambers
May 6th, 2017 Stall at Irvine May Day
April 24th - 26th, 2017 Stall at STUC annual congress, Aviemore
March 23rd, 2017 Community HEART fundraising social, The Blane Valley, Glassford St., Glasgow
March 11th, 2017 Stall at Lenzie Fair Trade Committee coffee morning
February 24th - 26th, 2017 Stall at Scottish Labour Party Conference, Perth
January 14th, 2017 Annual Social to mark the anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress of South Africa
December 29th, 2017 Registration of the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation as a Scottish Incorporated Charitable Organisation
December 3rd - 18th, 2016 Stall at the Ethical Christmas Fair, in a marquee in City Square, Dundee. 10am - 6pm daily.
November 19th, 2016 ACTSA Scotland AGM, Glasgow + Open meeting with Dwyn Griesel
November 18th - 22nd Visit to Scotland by Ms. Dwyn Griesel, Founder and Director of Kronendal Music Academy in Hout Bay, nr. Cape Town, South Africa. She will then be elsewhere in the UK until 30th November.
October 28th - 29th, 2016 Stall at STUC Women's Conference, Perth Concert Hall
October 1st, 2016 Stall at Dundee Together, City Square, Dundee 11am - 4pm
August 28th, 2016 Stall at South Lanarkshire UNISON Fun Day, New Lanark
August 7th - 13th, 2016 Stall at Fair and Ethical Trade on the Fringe, Castle St., Edinburgh
July 18th, 2016 Nelson Mandela International Day
June 19th, 2016 40th anniversary of the formal constitution of the Anti-Apartheid Movement Scottish Committee
June 16th, 2016 40th anniversary of Soweto Uprising
May 7th, 2016 Stall at Irvine May Day
May 1st, 2016 Stall at Glasgow May Day
April 18th - 20th, 2016 Stall at STUC Congress, Dundee
April 4th - 29th, 2016 "Forward to Freedom" exhibition at Glasgow Caledonian University (Saltire Centre), Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA
February 29th - 2nd April, 2016 "Forward to Freedom" exhibition in Aberdeen Central Library.
February 11th, 2016 Fundraising event in aid of charity Community HEART. Marking both the 26th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison, and the completion of the third million books collected and sent to school libraries in South Africa, including the half-million sent by ACTSA Scotland in collaboration with Community HEART.
February 8th - 27th, 2016 "Forward to Freedom" exhibition, Midlothian Libraries, beginning with Dalkeith Library.
February 1st - 5th, 2016 "Forward to Freedom" Exhibition on display at the Scottish Parliament
January 16th, 2016 Annual social to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress of South Africa, STUC offices, Glasgow
December 12th - 20th, 2015 Stall at Edinburgh Ethical Christmas Fair, Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh
December 5th, 2015 Stall at World Fair, St. Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow
December 5th, 2015 ACTSA Scotland AGM, Glasgow
November 2nd - 3rd, 2015 Stall at STUC Women's Conference, Dundee
October 30th - November 1st, 2015 Stall at Scottish Labour Party Conference, Perth
August 30th, 2015 Stall at South Lanarkshire UNISON annual Fun Day, New Lanark.
August 22nd, 2015 Stall at "Dundee Together" festival.
August 16th, 2015 "Anti-Apartheid and today's South Africa" seminar at the Festival of Politics, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh. 15.30-17.00 Chaired by Bernard Ponsonby. Speakers Brian Filling and Jean McFadden.
August 14th - 16th, 2015 "Forward to Freedom - The History of the Anti-Apartheid Movement" exhibition on show at the Scottish Parliament.
August 8th - 15th, 2015 Stall at "Fair Trade on the Fringe" in Castle St., Edinburgh.
July 18th, 2015 Nelson Mandela International Day, including loading and send-off of ACTSA Scotland's tenth container-load of donated books for school libraries in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, bringing the number of books sent in the 20 years since the project started to half a million. Loading at Hillhead Library, Byres Road, Glasgow from 10am. Send-off from George Square at 2pm., followed by reception in Glasgow City Chambers.
June 14th - 19th, 2015 Stall at UNISON UK conference at SECC, Glasgow
April 23rd, 2015 Lebo Mashile and Niq Mhlongo, South African writers, at Aye Write! book festival in Glasgow, plus programme of visits and meetings from 22nd -25th April.
December 2nd, 2014 ACTSA Scotland Mandela/Tambo lecture, Glasgow. Documentary film "Soft Vengeance: Albie Sachs and the New South Africa" followed by question and answer session with Albie Sachs. Hosted by Strathclyde University Law School. Copies off Allbie's book "Soft Vengeance of a Freedom Fighter" available from ACTSA Scotland for £15 + £2 p & p.
October 18th, 2014 Stall at celebration of 50 years of Zambia's independence, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton Campus, EdinburghOctober 9th, 2014 Unveiling of Nelson Mandela bust, Glasgow City Chambers
July 21st - October 10th, 2014 "Robben Island Bible" on display at Mitchell Li brary, Glasgow
July 18th, 2014 Nelson Mandela International Day. Events across Scotland.
May 10th, 2014 20th anniversary of the installation of Nelson Mandela as President of a free South Africa. ACTSA Scotland celebration at the STUC offices.
April 9th, 2014 Stall at Fair Trade Forum Family Fun Day, The Arches, Glasgow
April 4th, 2014 "Glasgow Celebrates Mandela" at opening night of Aye Write! book festival, Mitchell Theatre, Glasgow, marking publication of the second (updated) edition of Brian Filling's "The Glasgow-Mandela Story" (available from ACTSA Scotland for £5.00, including U.K. postage, or £4 over the counter from an ACTSA stall, or from Oswald St. Bookshop or Calton Books - both Glasgow). Bernard Ponsonby chaired a conversation with Brian Filling and Marah Louw. Performances by Marah Louw and Stanley Odd.
December 6th, 2013 Public tribute to Nelson Mandela on the day after his death. 5pm. Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow
October 12th, 2013 Denis Goldberg gives keynote address at Edinburgh World Justice Festival opening conference on "World Justice and Austerity".
October 9th, 2013 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's visit to Scotland to receive in person the Freedom of nine local authorities from across the U.K.
August 23rd - 25th, 2013 ACTSA Scotland volunteers fundraising at Leeds and Reading Festivals with the Workers Beer Company
July 18th - 21st, 2013 ACTSA Scotland volunteers fundraising at Latitude Festival with the Workers Beer Company
July 18th, 2013 Nelson Mandela International Day, and Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday
June 26th, 2013 A celebration of the life of Archbishop Trevor Huddleston. St. John's Church hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, 7pm, with Richard Holloway, Anne Booth-Clibborn,Suganya Chetty, David Kenvyn, Wendy Taylor, Iain Whyte, Brian Filling, plus music from Protest in Harmony.
June 26th - 30th, 2013 ACTSA Scotland volunteers fundraising at Glastonbury Festival with the Workers Beer Company
June 19th, 2013 Trevor Huddleston memorial concert, St. Mary's Cathedral, Great Western Road, Glasgow, 7.30pm. Recital by James Slimings (tenor) and Susan Holmes (piano). In aid of Kronendal Music Academy of Hout Bay, Cape Town (Patron Denis Goldberg) Admission £10/£5 concessions, at the door. Enquiries to ACTSA Scotland.June 12th, 2013 25th anniversary of Oliver Tambo's visit to Glasgow for the huge Scottish AAM demonstration and rally to call for the release of Nelson Mandela, and send off the Freedom March to London
May 31st, 2013 Community HEART fundraising dinner, Glasgow City Chambers, with Guest of Honour Denis Goldberg. Celebrating Denis's 80th birthday.
November 27th, 2012 Denis Goldberg speaks on "After Marikana - The Situation in South Africa" 7pm STUC 333, Woodlands Road, GlasgowNovember 9th, 2012 Fundraising concert in Armadale Academy for Kronendal Music Academy of Hout Bay, near Cape TownOctober 26th, 2012 ACTSA Scotland Chair Brian Filling presented in Pretoria with the Order of the Companions of O.R.Tambo by President Jacob Zuma, in recognition of a lifetime of campaigning in Scotland and elsewhere for the liberation of South Africa.
July 18th, 2012 Nelson Mandela Day. Dispatch of ACTSA Scotland's ninth container-load of books for Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Loaded at Hillhead Library, Glasgow, and sent off from George Square.
September 24th - 27th, 2011 Third Wild Coast Sponsored Walk in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa to raise funds for projects in the Province.
September 16th, 2011 Mandela-Tambo lecture, Glasgow College. Given by Denis Goldberg on "Mandela-Tambo: friends, comrades, leaders: legacy" Printed copies now available from ACTSA Scotland for £3.50, including postage.
August 4th, 2011 30th anniversary of the granting of the Freedom of Glasgow to Nelson Mandela. Denis Goldberg speaks at Glasgow City Chambers to mark the anniversary. "The Glasgow Mandela Story" by Brian Filling published.
December 1st, 2010 Mandela - Tambo lecture, 6pm, Glasgow University Chapel, The Square, Glasgow University, University Avenue. Given by Ronnie Kasrils, senior ANC activist for many years of the anti-apartheid struggle, and later a minister in the South African government for 14 years. Theme: "The Unlikely Secret Agent", the story of Ronnie's late wife Eleanor (born in Kilmarnock), who worked underground for the ANC, was arrested, interrogated and eventually escaped. The event also launched Ronnie's book of the same name (commended by John Le Carré).
April 28th, 2010 Scottish launch of Denis Goldberg's autobiography, "The Mission - A Life for Freedom in South Africa" ,Glasgow City Chambers. (Copies available from ACTSA Scotland, £18 + £3 U.K. post and packing - contact John.Nelson@actsascotland.org.uk )