London has always shown a special affection for Nelson Mandela. And his 90th birthday was no exception. The city celebrated the South African statesman Friday night when nearly 50,000 gathered in London's Hyde Park to celebrate. The concert featured performances by Amy Winehouse, Eddy Grant and Johnny Clegg and was honored with such celebrities as Robert DeNiro, Will and Jada Smith, Pierce Brosnan, Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey. In 1988, London held a similar concert singing the praises of Mr. Mandela, only he was in prison on the other side of the world. When Mr. Mandela took the stage he recalled "[t]wenty
years ago, London hosted an historic concert which called for our
freedom, [y]our voices carried across the water to
inspire us in our prison cells far away. Tonight, we can stand before
you free. We are honored to be back in London for this wonderful
occasion, celebration. But even as we celebrate let us remind ourselves
that our work is far from complete." After 90 years of his quest, let's vow to carry the torch.
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