MTV special honors the life of Mandela (IOL)

SABC1 is to screen a 60-minute special program, Meeting Mandela: A Staying Alive Special.

Produced by MTV Music Television, Meeting Mandela celebrates the life of humanitarian and former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela.

It premiered globally to a potential audience of a billion people this month, in association with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, UNAids, the World Bank, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Family Health International's YouthNet.

The special marks the debut of this year's Staying Alive HIV/Aids awareness campaign, as well as Mandela's 85th birthday.

Offering viewers a historical look at Mandela's life, the special will also profile young people from diverse backgrounds who travelled to Johannesburg to meet Mandela.

"We are honoured to produce a special on Nelson Mandela, who is one of the world's most important humanitarians, in celebration of his 85th birthday and to launch this year's Staying Alive campaign," said Bill Roedy, president of MTV Networks International and ambassador, UNAids.

"MTV remains committed to using its airwaves to enable young people to express their opinions on issues that affect them most, and this special will put them face-to-face with one of the most important public figures in history. I challenge broadcasters from around the world to air our special on Nelson Mandela," said Roedy, "to get HIV/Aids awareness messages out to the widest possible audience. Through the media's continued commitment we can all make a major impact in the fight against HIV/Aids."