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Add the andPOP Facebook Application(andPOP) - Annie Lennox, Leona Lewis, Queen, the Sugababes and Congolese musician Papa Wemba are some of the many artists slated to perform at a concert for Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebration in London, England next month.
The concert comes almost 20 years after the June 11th, 1988 concert at London's Wembley Stadium calling for Mandela’s release from prison.
Organizers are selling exactly 46,664 tickets.
The number symbolizes Mandela’s prisoner number at the Robben Island prison, 466, the year he was imprisoned, 1964 and the name of his charity 46664, which raises money for HIV/AIDS awareness and promotes ways to prevent the disease.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mandela said,
“You all know that I am supposed to be retired but when you retire it means that you can have time for birthdays. My friends and the charitable organizations that bear my name want to use my 90th birthday year to raise funds to continue our work and so of course I want to help them.”
Other celebrities who will be attending the three day celebration include Robert de Niro, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, Forest Whittaker and Will Smith.
Organizers have not announced the names of all the performers saying they would like to keep some element of surprise for Mandela and the audience.
There have been rumours however, that Amy Winehouse, Eminem and U2 will also be performing.
Mandela actually turns 90 on July 18th.
