Sunderland in Nelson Mandela Foundation dealThe Nelson Mandela Foundation has entered into a partnership with English football club Sunderland.
Over the next 18 months, the Premier League side will support fundraising initiatives for the charity set up by the former South African president.
The match against Manchester United on 30 March will kick off the fundraising.
"We want to take his message of reconciliation and social justice as far and as wide as possible," said club vice-chairman David Miliband.
Mr Miliband, a politician and former UK foreign secretary, said the club had been honoured to be chosen.
"It's a great validation of the community and charitable work we do," he told BBC Swahili TV.
Achmat Dangor, who heads the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said the partnership would help spread the anti-apartheid fighter's message to young people worldwide through the football club, Sunderland's own charitable foundation and work in Africa.
"It will give us an outreach we haven't got yet," he told the BBC.
BBC
