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Mandela celebrating 90th birthday

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LONDON - AUGUST 29: Ex-South African President Nelson Mandela looks on during a statue unveiling ceremony in Nelson Mandela's honour at Parliament Square on August 29, 2007 in London, England. The statue depicting Nelson Mandela delievering a speech, by sculptor Ian Walters, is nine-feet (2.7-metres) high, made of bronze and faces the Houses of Parliament. (Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images) 
Published: June 23, 2008 at 10:02 AM

LONDON, June 23 (UPI) -- Former South African President Nelson Mandela arrived Monday in Britain to attend a series of events to mark his 90th birthday.

Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for leading the campaign against apartheid in South Africa, will be honored Friday at an outdoor concert in Hyde Park, The Times of London reports.

The concert featuring Queen, Leona Lewis, Annie Lennox and Shirley Bassey is being staged on the anniversary of a Free Mandela concert staged in London 20 years ago to demand his release from prison.

Proceeds from the 90th birthday event will be donated to Mandela's AIDS charity.

On Wednesday, the man who served as South Africa's first black president will serve as host for a dinner party attended by celebrities and world leaders including British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Among those invited is talk show host Oprah Winfrey and former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Topics: Annie Lennox, Leona Lewis, Nelson Mandela, Shirley Bassey
© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

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