The Hugest Happiness Blanket Unveiled to Joyful Applause in Gqeberha

On 20 March 2025, Nelson Mandela University’s Second Avenue Campus was transformed into a breathtaking display of warmth and unity as the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day movement unveiled the world’s Hugest Happiness Blanket. Hundreds gathered to celebrate this historic moment on the United Nations International Day of Happiness, as a sea of vibrant, handcrafted blankets – meticulously stitched together by South African KnitWits created an unforgettable display of kindness in action.

The centrepiece, a massive yellow smiley emoji, radiated joy, embodying the spirit of giving that has defined this movement since its inception in 2013. More than just a spectacular installation, the event served as a tangible act of compassion, with every single blanket destined to provide warmth to individuals and families in need.

A Resounding Success

“The energy and love that filled the air today were absolutely electric. It was more than an installation, it was a celebration of humanity,” said Carolyn Steyn, founder of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day. “It was particularly meaningful to bring this event to the Eastern Cape, Madiba’s birthplace, where his legacy of service and kindness continues to inspire us all.”

A quarter of the blankets have remained in Gqeberha, with special distributions taking place across the Eastern Cape, including to Bethsaida Ministry in Nieu-Bethesda, Paterson High School (which received 100 blankets in honour of its centenary), Missionvale Care Centre, Umphanda Foundation for Autism, and Ekuphumleni Elderly Home.

 Nelson Mandela University played a pivotal role in hosting the event. Oyama Soga, expressed her gratitude, stating “This collaboration has been a testament to what can be achieved when different sectors of society come together within a shared purpose. The University provides an inspiring space for engagement, and the enthusiasm from students and staff made the initiative even more impactful. It’s been incredible to see how seamlessly everyone worked together to turn a simple act of knitting into a powerful gesture of care and solidarity.”

Creativity, Culture, and Community

The event was a feast for the senses, with moving performances from the Nelson Mandela University Choir, The Quintessentials Acapella Group, Toynbee Ballet Academy, and the Lawson Brown Steel Band. Acclaimed artists PJ Powers, Monique Hellenberg, and Tim Moloi brought their musical magic to the celebration, while renowned artist Muneeb Wassin captured the essence of giving with a live painting created on-site.

Adding to the excitement was a special moment for young creatives. A T-shirt design competition saw learners from Khulile Primary School – Daliso Amila, Khonzani Achumile, and Moyakhe Lathitha – honoured on stage for their winning design. Their artwork beautifully captured the event’s message of happiness and unity, further proving that the next generation is already embracing Madiba’s ethos of service and kindness.

A Grateful Acknowledgment

The event garnered international support with United Nations Multi-Country Coordinator Ms Anthea Hurling saying: “The 67 Blankets Giant Blanket of Happiness is a powerful symbol of unity, kindness, and shared humanity. As it ties into the UN International Day of Happiness, it reminds us that true joy comes from acts of generosity and compassion. In South Africa and across the world, this initiative weaves together diverse communities, proving that small actions – stitch by stitch – can create a fabric of hope, resilience, and warmth for those in need. It is a testament to the spirit of Ubuntu and the collective effort to build a happier, more inclusive world for all.”

General Bantu Holomisa, who delivered a powerful address, commended all those involved, saying, “This event was a testament to the strength of collective goodwill. My deepest gratitude to every person who knitted, organised, and participated in this extraordinary day.”

 Professor Andre Keet, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University, echoed this sentiment, stating “Nelson Mandela University has a strong ethos of community engagement rooted in social justice, ubuntu and the transformative power of education. Our Hubs of Convergence (HoC) at Nelson Mandela University are a unique model of engagement, collaboration and co-creation aimed at fostering deep, transformative partnerships between the university and society. This initiative moves beyond traditional community engagement by creating physical and intellectual spaces where academia, civil society, government and communities come together to address pressing social issues.”

 As the blankets were laid out and the giant smiley beamed across the campus, attendees were reminded of the power of small acts to create massive change. The Hugest Happiness Blanket has not only set a new benchmark for kindness but has left an indelible mark on the hearts of all who took part.

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Morning Carolyn,
My son, Christopher lives in Australia and is a great admirer of our 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day (South Africa) movement and wrote the following which I used as inspiration for our recent White River gathering.
“We totally underestimate the importance of ‘belonging’ in people’s lives. It is a fundamental human need. We create these kinds of movements and we intellectualise the contributions of the knitters as wanting to give to others and help and so on, but we overlook the fact that for many lonely and single folk, it is the belonging that is most important Wrapping your head around that is quite the epiphany, because even as creators or leaders of these communities, we don’t think of it in that way, we tend to think of it as force for good that helps the recipients and we think that the contributors are doing their thing because they want to help others. Of course they do, but what they get from it that is perhaps more important for their own self-worth, is a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves. It’s important to realise, because we should organise our activities in such a way that it serves both the charitable outcomes but also the ‘belonging’ aspect.
For example, there are things one could do for the contributors that are specifically about belonging and not necessarily about giving – it could be events, activities, swag, etc that celebrate their belonging, not just their giving. I suspect that belonging is closely linked to purpose.
As we get older and perhaps more socially isolated and the purpose of life seems more difficult to articulate, its the belonging that can fill the void.
It sounds like stating the bleeding obvious but I’m only coming to terms with the importance of it as I get older. A last thought is on the importance of institutions. I’ve come to understand that democracy is not the government. If you were to put democracy under the microscope you would see that it is a kit of parts. The key parts are institutions. The reserve bank, the judiciary, the police, the revenue collection authority, the parliament, the presidency, the constitutional court, the public protector, the competition ombudsmen, the hawks, the provincial govt, the local govt, the army, the IEC, etc. In Southern Africa, the challenge to democracy comes in the form of the capture and subsequent collapse of those institutions. What can one do in the face of the institutional collapse? Yes you can vote, boycott, protest, etc as one should do. But the other thing you can do, that is a controllable, is to build new institutions or support existing ones that are still functional. 67 Blankets is an institution, Jeppe Boys High is an institution, the Springboks are an institution, Rotary is an institution. And that is the way we should look at them and cherish them and celebrate them. The people building those institutions, often in the most trying of circumstances, are the real nation builders – for the affect of their work is the sense of belonging and pride and public service and excellence and care for others that is no longer provided through the ‘official’ institutions.
Their role is fundamental to the survival of democracy and as long as they are growing and functioning and well supported, there is hope.
Copy supplied by Ambassador Penny Boden