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Source: handout / Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund
NBA legend Magic Johnson and his wife, Cookie Johnson, will be honored at a gala held by a charitable organization named for Nelson Mandela.
The NBA Hall-of-Famer and business mogul Earvin “Magic” Johnson has been feted for his charitable work and is set to receive another honor along with his wife, philanthropist Cookie Johnson, at an event to celebrate the life of the late South African president and freedom fighter Nelson Mandela. The couple will be honored for their charitable efforts at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Gala to be held in Cannes, France, by the Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund. The event will take place May 24 during the Festival de Cannes and is held in collaboration with Trigo Networks.

The Johnsons were chosen as “icons who have embodied global humanitarianism through mission and deed,” according to the press statement released by Trigo Networks. The event will feature performances from musician and actor Benjamin Clementine who recently appeared in the Denis Villeneuve adaptation of Dune, along with the group Ghetto Kids from Uganda, with others to be announced at a later date. There will also be a presentation honoring the bond between Nelson Mandela and the late operatic star Luciano Pavarotti, with his wife Nicoletta Mantovani to be in attendance. The program will be directed by Manuel Alejandro Ruiz, also known as “Chosen Few.” All proceeds from the event will go towards the Fund.
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund was created in 1995 after the president decided to set aside a third of his salary towards its creation. As expressed by the Fund’s current CEO, Dr. Linda Nkube-Ncomo, “his vision was that it would serve as a catalyst for changing the way society treats its children   and youth. He further believed that individuals including him would come and go, but the organization would continue to exist as long as there are good men and women looking after society’s voiceless children. The contributions of Magic and Cookie Johnson reflect the personal ethos of what led Nelson Mandela to start the Fund. This gala truly celebrates those who ‘Serve Like Mandela’.”