A citywide initiative led by Mandela8 in collaboration with Liverpool City Council and Liverpool BID Company.
Mandela8 are delighted to launch Mandela Day 2026 with Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Bid Company, which will see a range of activities take place across the city.
Mandela Day, marked internationally on 18 July, celebrates the life and values of Nelson Mandela by encouraging people to take 67 minutes of action for social justice and community improvement, representing the 67 years Mandela dedicated to public service.
The Theme for Mandela Day 2026 is “It’s In Your Hands”.
Activities this year focus in two key areas:
1. Education and Literacy – Improving access to books, learning opportunities and mentoring and;
2. Active Citizenship – Encouraging volunteering and civic engagement to address poverty and inequality.
Activities can take place across Mandela Week (14–18 July 2026) rather than a single day if preferred!
“Mandela Day offers Liverpool a powerful opportunity to demonstrate how the values of Nelson Mandela remain relevant today. It is great to see schools, communities and civic institutions get involved every year. Mandela Day reminds us that everyone has the power to make a difference” Interim Chair Michelle Cox MBE
We are encouraging schools, local businesses, institutions and community and voluntary sector organisations and individuals across the city to get involved. This is a unique opportunity to demonstrate how Mandela’s values can be translated into practical action across Liverpool, continuing to support our annual campaign to encouraging people to celebrate our diversity and differences.
The Mandela Day brochure is full of ideas of the types of activities you can do during the week or on Mandela Day and the news articles below give you some ideas of the types of activities others have done in the past:
DOWNLOAD THE IDEAS BROCHURE HERE
DOWNLOAD THE BANNERS BELOW TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT MANDELA DAY
Remember to use the hashtags below when promoting your activities on social media: #Itsinyourhands #Mandeladay2026