A celebration of the life of Nelson Mandela set for Saturday at the Kansas City Library – Plaza Branch has been postponed due to winter weather.
A Kansas City committee that included Lebert Schultz, honorary consul for South Africa, made the decision late Friday morning, said Karen Zimmerman, a member of the organizing committee.
The group chose to err on the side of caution, she said, as an ice storm hit Kansas City on Friday and more poor weather was expected for the next few days.
“It’s sad, but I think it’s the right choice for us at this point,” Zimmerman said.
The committee is planning to reschedule the program in the spring, she said.
A Kansas City memorial service for Mandela, who will be buried Sunday in his boyhood village of Qunu, remains set for Monday. It will be held at Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral at 13th and Broadway streets at 6:30 p.m. Surendra Bhana, a University of Kansas professor emeritus, will speak at and the South African National Anthem will be sung by the Kansas City Boys Choir and the Kansas City Girls Choir.