The White House announced President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama to attend the memorial service in South Africa to honor former President Nelson Mandela this coming Tuesday. The service will take place at a stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. President Barack Obama and his wife will be accompanied on Air Force One together with former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush. Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, along with former President Jimmy Carter, will also attend the memorials for Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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| The White House announced President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama to attend the memorial service in South Africa to honor former President Nelson Mandela. |
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| U.S. President Barack Obama meets for the first time with Nelson Mandela, May 17, 2005. |
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| Nelson Mandela and former President George W. Bush in the Oval Office, May 2005 | . |
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| Nelson Mandela with U.S. former President Bill Clinton. Though publicly criticizing him on several occasions, Mandela liked Clinton, and personally supported him during his impeachment proceedings. |
A state funeral for Nelson Mandela will take place in Dec. 15 in his hometown in Cape Town. Nelson Mandela died last Thursday, December 5, 2013, at the age of 95 due to a lung infection in his home in Houghton, Johannesburg. Mandela was surrounded by his family at the day he died. His death was publicly announced by President Jacob Zuma.
On 6 December, President Jacob Zuma announced a national mourning period of ten days, with the main event being an official memorial service to be held at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. He declared Sunday 8 December a national day of prayer and reflection:
"We call upon all our people to gather in halls, churches, mosques, temples, synagogues and in their homes to pray and hold prayer services and meditation reflecting on the life of Madiba and his contribution to our country and the world."
Nelson Mandela's remains will lie in state from December 11 to 13 at the Union Buildings in Pretoria and a state funeral will be held on Sunday, December 15 in Qunu.
Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille said that Cape Town will host an interfaith service on the Grand Parade, which has been designated as Cape Town's primary public mourning space, on Sunday, December 8. A public night vigil will be held there on the evening before Mandela's funeral. Cape Town will also host a free tribute concert at the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday, December 11, 2013.
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