Mandela  grandson to speak at Pomfret School
POMFRET — Pomfret School will host Ndaba Mandela as this year’s Schwartz Visiting Fellow. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Nelson Mandela, Ndaba Mandela hopes to inspire and unite people to build a fair and just world. The author of Going to the Mountain: Life Lessons from My Grandfather, Nelson Mandela, Ndaba, is a captivating speaker who shares stories of being raised by and learning important lessons from the iconic leader.
The public lecture will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 in Hard Auditorium on the Pomfret School campus. A book signing and reception will follow. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register, visit pomfret.org/schwartz. For those who cannot attend in person, a livestream will be available at pomfret.org/live.
“With his message of shared humanity and the importance of using our influence and one’s privilege for the good of all, our students and members of the greater Pomfret community are sure to learn a great deal from Ndaba Mandela,” says Library Director and Schwartz Visiting Fellow Chair Elizabeth Jacquet.
Shortly after turning 11 and before South Africa’s first presidential election, Ndaba went to live with his grandfather. The two cautiously built a relationship that would affect both their lives in extraordinary ways. Being raised by a legend had its challenges, but Ndaba navigated the strict rules and exacting guidelines while overhearing calls from foreign dignitaries.
Since 1989, world-renowned experts have visited Pomfret School under the auspices of the Schwartz Visiting Fellow Program. This speaker series is the result of the vision and generosity of Michael Schwartz ’66 and Eric Schwartz ’69. Past fellows include animal science professor Temple Grandin; author Bill Bryson; human rights activist Madame Jehan Sadat; historian David McCullough; and celebrity chef Ming Tsai.

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