MANDELA 46664
ABOUT

The 46664 cause brand created by David Clark for President Nelson Mandela served as a global platform to help address the HIV/AIDS crisis, and destigmatize people who suffered from the disease. Through the 46664 cause brand that was created in 2002, which President Mandela spearheaded until his death in 2013, the President continued to reinforce Clark’s rebranding of HIV/AIDS by saying “Aids is no longer just a disease, it is a Human Rights crisis.” In addition to raising unprecedented awareness for the HIV/AIDS crisis, 46664 raised tens of millions of dollars through activation that included staging six all-star concerts, a clothing line, books, concert CDs and original music.
ABOUT

The 46664 cause brand created by David Clark for President Nelson Mandela served as a global platform to help address the HIV/AIDS crisis, and destigmatize people who suffered from the disease. Through the 46664 cause brand that was created in 2002, which President Mandela spearheaded until his death in 2013, the President continued to reinforce Clark’s rebranding of HIV/AIDS by saying “Aids is no longer just a disease, it is a Human Rights crisis.” In addition to raising unprecedented awareness for the HIV/AIDS crisis, 46664 raised tens of millions of dollars through activation that included staging six all-star concerts, a clothing line, books, concert CDs and original music.
ABOUT

The 46664 initiative, conceived by David Clark for President Nelson Mandela, emerged as a global force to confront the HIV/AIDS crisis and dismantle the stigma surrounding the disease. Launched in 2002 and championed by Mandela until his passing in 2013, 46664 powerfully redefined the narrative, with Mandela declaring, “AIDS is no longer just a disease; it is a Human Rights crisis.” Under his leadership, the campaign reached unprecedented levels of awareness and funding through innovative avenues - six star-studded concerts, a dedicated clothing line, books, concert albums, and original music - each further amplifying the call for compassion and justice for those affected.
THE BEGINNING

In the Spring of 2002, the United Nations approached David Clark about developing a new and impactful initiative that would help promote UN Human Rights Day (celebrated annually on December 10th). Clark is known for his unique ability to drive awareness toward global problems by creating innovative initiatives that leverage celebrity support set against historic dates and locations. At the time there was no greater human rights icon in the world than President Nelson Mandela, so with an introduction provided by the United Nations, Clark traveled to South Africa to try and convince the President to lend his support for a global human rights cause brand he was creating.

THE ROAD TO 46664

According to Clark, the global 46664 campaign concert and ongoing initiative almost didn’t happen. When Clark first approached President Mandela, he was primarily concerned about the staggering HIV/AIDS epidemic that was ravaging South Africa. To Mandela, AIDS was an issue that demanded greater urgency (in contrast to the broader notion of Human Rights under which the event had initially been framed). 
THE BEGINNING

In the Spring of 2002, the United Nations approached David Clark about developing a new and impactful initiative that would help promote UN Human Rights Day (celebrated annually on December 10th). Clark is known for his unique ability to drive awareness toward global problems by creating innovative initiatives that leverage celebrity support set against historic dates and locations. At the time there was no greater human rights icon in the world than President Nelson Mandela, so with an introduction provided by the United Nations, Clark traveled to South Africa to try and convince the President to lend his support for a global human rights cause brand he was creating.

THE ROAD TO 46664

According to Clark, the global 46664 campaign concert and ongoing initiative almost didn’t happen. When Clark first approached President Mandela, he was primarily concerned about the staggering HIV/AIDS epidemic that was ravaging South Africa. To Mandela, AIDS was an issue that demanded greater urgency (in contrast to the broader notion of Human Rights under which the event had initially been framed). 
THE BEGINNING

When David Clark first approached President Nelson Mandela to champion a new human rights initiative, Mandela’s attention remained firmly on the pressing HIV/AIDS crisis sweeping across South Africa, demanding immediate intervention.

Clark’s initial proposal centered on a broader human rights agenda, but Mandela saw AIDS as a crisis too urgent and too personal to ignore. Recognizing that HIV/AIDS needed to be embedded in the heart of the campaign, Clark framed it plainly: “People with AIDS weren’t dying because they were sick; they were dying because they were poor. Allowing someone to die simply because they’re poor - that’s not a health issue; that’s a human rights failure.”

On August 27, 2002, Clark raised a defining question: “Could we make the logical link between HI/AIDS and Human Right, by saying that we think HIV/AIDS is no longer just a health issue, but has risen to become a human rights crisis? Seemingly this would be a poignant way to explain the link.” Mandela agreed, and with that, a transformative movement began, framing the fight against AIDS as a stand for fundamental human rights.
REBRANDING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

“People with AIDS — they’re not dying because they’re sick, they’re dying because they’re poor,” Clark reasoned, “and to let someone die because they’re poor, is not a health issue, it’s a human rights issue.”
 
Clark suggested that Mandela’s old prison number “46664” from Robben Island would lend a powerful humanizing identity to the concert. The number would illustrate how those with HIV/AIDS often get overlooked, because they are reduced to mere statistics and numbers. Mandela’s prison number, a symbol of similar oppression, would send the message that human beings are not numbers and cannot be ignored. Mandela received this number because he was the 466 prisoner admitted to Robben Island prison in 1964.  
 
Clark then proposed the final HIV/AIDS rebrand to President Mandela, which he adopted: “AIDS is no longer just a disease, it is a Human Rights crisis.”

As the concert continued to develop its narrative and visual identity, Clark was inspired when he walked the grounds of Robben Island Prison and saw the oppressive barbed wire that imprisoned Mandela for decades. Trying to make the visual connection between HIV/AIDS and human rights, Clark suggested twisting barbed wire into a ribbon of hope. UN Human Rights would later go on to adopt the barbed wire ribbon as the Global Human Rights Symbol.

REBRANDING A PANDEMIC

With a fresh vision to link HIV/AIDS and human rights, David Clark proposed a redefinition of the pandemic with a powerful, urgent statement embraced by Nelson Mandela: “AIDS is no longer just a disease; it is a human rights crisis.”

The crisis at the time was staggering – as an estimated 4.7 million South Africans, or one in nine, were HIV positive, the highest in any country worldwide. Yet the sheer scale of the epidemic made it feel almost abstract, numbers instead of people. Clark sought to give the crisis a face, something the world could feel compelled to act upon. He proposed using Mandela’s prison number from Robben Island to lend a human identity to the movement - a reminder that each number represented a life.

Clark reached out to the Robben Island Museum, which revealed Mandela had been the 488th prisoner of 1964, marking him as “48864.” This number became the original title of a planned anthem, penned by Joe Strummer of The Clash, with music by Bono and Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics.

Then, at the initiative’s announcement on December 6, 2002, at Cape Town’s Kirstenbosch Gardens, Mandela and Clark hosted an event to unveil the campaign. Mandela set the record straight: his prison number, he clarified, had actually been “46664.” This unique, deeply personal number became the initiative’s title, uniting the fight against AIDS with Mandela’s own journey and anchoring the movement in a message of shared humanity.
REBRANDING A
GLOBAL PANDEMIC

“People with AIDS — they’re not dying because they’re sick, they’re dying because they’re poor,” Clark reasoned, “and to let someone die because they’re poor, is not a health issue, it’s a human rights issue.”
 
Clark suggested that Mandela’s old prison number “46664” from Robben Island would lend a powerful humanizing identity to the concert. The number would illustrate how those with HIV/AIDS often get overlooked, because they are reduced to mere statistics and numbers. Mandela’s prison number, a symbol of similar oppression, would send the message that human beings are not numbers and cannot be ignored. Mandela received this number because he was the 466 prisoner admitted to Robben Island prison in 1964.  
 
Clark then proposed the final HIV/AIDS rebrand to President Mandela, which he adopted: “AIDS is no longer just a disease, it is a Human Rights crisis.”

As the concert continued to develop its narrative and visual identity, Clark was inspired when he walked the grounds of Robben Island Prison and saw the oppressive barbed wire that imprisoned Mandela for decades. Trying to make the visual connection between HIV/AIDS and human rights, Clark suggested twisting barbed wire into a ribbon of hope. UN Human Rights would later go on to adopt the barbed wire ribbon as the Global Human Rights Symbol.

MANDELA TAKES THE STAGE

President Nelson Mandela addressing the 46664 audience in Cape Town, South Africa. Mandela proclaimed, “AIDS is no longer just a disease, it’s a human rights issue.”

MANDELA TAKES THE STAGE

President Nelson Mandela addressing the 46664 audience in Cape Town, South Africa. Mandela proclaimed, “AIDS is no longer just a disease, it’s a human rights issue.”

MANDELA TAKES THE STAGE

President Nelson Mandela addressing the 46664 audience in Cape Town, South Africa. Mandela proclaimed, “AIDS is no longer just a disease, it’s a human rights issue.”
THE EVENT THAT SHOOK THE WORLD

Spearheaded by Clark, the inaugural 46664 benefit concert was one of the biggest rock events ever staged in Africa with the global MTV broadcast on November 29, 2003 reaching an estimated audience of more than 2 billion people in 166 countries. 

The concert, staged from Cape Town boasted an amazing house band – Queen, which performed to an audience of over 55,000 people. Additional artists included Beyoncé, Bono and The Edge, Peter Gabriel, Yusuf Island (aka Cat Stevens), The Corrs, Bob Geldof, The Eurythmics and several African and South African artists including Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N’Dour and Yvonne Chaka Chaka. Supporting celebrities for this inaugural 46664 concert included President Clinton, Sir. Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey.
HISTORIC NIGHT

Under the guidance of David Clark, the inaugural 46664 benefit concert, produced by Real Concerts, transcended the realm of entertainment to become a historic rock event on African soil. On November 29, 2003, Cape Town lit up as a global stage of solidarity, as MTV, VH1, BBC, and a global livestream audience reached over 2 billion viewers. This singular concert not only resonated across continents but also forged an indelible symbol in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

Queen, serving as the house band, electrified a live audience of over 55,000, setting the stage for an extraordinary lineup that featured Beyoncé, Bono and The Edge, Peter Gabriel, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), The Corrs, Bob Geldof, and The Eurythmics. Joining them were influential African and South African artists, including Angélique Kidjo, Youssou N’Dour, and Yvonne Chaka Chaka, whose performances brought powerful regional voices to a global platform. 
THE EVENT THAT SHOOK THE WORLD

Spearheaded by Clark, the inaugural 46664 benefit concert was one of the biggest rock events ever staged in Africa with the global MTV broadcast on November 29, 2003 reaching an estimated audience of more than 2 billion people in 166 countries. 

The concert, staged from Cape Town boasted an amazing house band – Queen, which performed to an audience of over 55,000 people. Additional artists included Beyoncé, Bono and The Edge, Peter Gabriel, Yusuf Island (aka Cat Stevens), The Corrs, Bob Geldof, The Eurythmics and several African and South African artists including Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N’Dour and Yvonne Chaka Chaka. Supporting celebrities for this inaugural 46664 concert included President Clinton, Sir. Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey.
HIGHLIGHTS

A deeply moving moment unfolded at the global 46664 concert when Yusuf Islam, known to the world as Cat Stevens, stepped out of a 25-year retirement to perform his classic “Wild World” alongside Peter Gabriel. Gabriel followed with a powerful rendition of his song “Biko,” performed before a South African audience for the first time—a tribute to Stephen Biko, the human rights activist who endured torture and death in prison for championing racial equality in South Africa.

In a lasting tribute to the cause, Clark enlisted his music director Dave Stewart and Bono to compose the music for the event’s title anthem, “46664: A Long Walk to Freedom,” with Joe Strummer of The Clash writing the lyrics. The song would become Strummer’s last masterpiece, a final expression of unity and resilience.

Thanks to Clark’s vision, the 46664 Campaign emerged as a global platform that both shattered the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. With remarkable foresight, Clark crafted a cause brand that addressed the crisis artistically - presenting HIV/AIDS in a way that was bold, inclusive, and inspiring, steering clear of fear and alarmism and resonating instead with hope and human dignity.
HIGHLIGHTS

A poignant moment at the global concert occurred when Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) came out of a 25-year retirement to perform his iconic hit “Wild World” alongside Peter Gabriel, who then performed his song “Biko” in front of a South African audience for the first time. The poignant song was written about human rights activist Stephen Biko who was tortured and died in prison for promoting racial equality in South Africa.
 
In addition, Clark asked his music director Dave Stewart and Bono to write the music for the event’s title song, “46664: A Long Walk To Freedom,” and Joe Strummer of The Clash to write the lyrics. “46664” would turn out to be the last song Strummer would write before his death. 

Thanks to Clark, the 46664 Campaign became a global platform that helped destigmatize HIV/AIDS while raising millions of dollars for people around the world suffering from the disease. In order to do this, Clark created a cause brand that artistically addressed the HIV/AIDS crisis in ways that were populist and inspiring rather than alarmist and frightening. 
HIGHLIGHTS

A poignant moment at the global concert occurred when Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) came out of a 25-year retirement to perform his iconic hit “Wild World” alongside Peter Gabriel, who then performed his song “Biko” in front of a South African audience for the first time. The poignant song was written about human rights activist Stephen Biko who was tortured and died in prison for promoting racial equality in South Africa.
 
In addition, Clark asked his music director Dave Stewart and Bono to write the music for the event’s title song, “46664: A Long Walk To Freedom,” and Joe Strummer of The Clash to write the lyrics. “46664” would turn out to be the last song Strummer would write before his death. 

Thanks to Clark, the 46664 Campaign became a global platform that helped destigmatize HIV/AIDS while raising millions of dollars for people around the world suffering from the disease. In order to do this, Clark created a cause brand that artistically addressed the HIV/AIDS crisis in ways that were populist and inspiring rather than alarmist and frightening. 

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