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The Shakur Family postpones trip to South Africa until 2007

For personal reasons, the mother of the late hip hop icon Tupac (2Pac), Afeni Shakur, has postponed the family’s proposed trip to South Africa, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the hip hop icons death. The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation will continue with its plans in Atlanta to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Tupac’s death by inviting the public to the Peace Garden on Saturday, September 9th at 1:00pm. Afeni Shakur and the staff of the Center are asking everyone to bring a plant in memory of a loved one to place in the Peace Garden. If people cannot attend, the Center asks that a plant be laid in their personal garden in memory of not only, their loved ones, but for all fallen heroes. A celebration and drum ceremony will follow the garden event.

The trip to South Africa will now take place on June 16, 2007. The date coincides with the anniversary of the Soweto uprising as well as the 36th birthday of the hip hop icon Tupac Shakur (2Pac).

Ms. Afeni Shakur has always been a supporter for Civil Rights and rescheduling the ceremony on this day characterizes her son’s legacy as he shares the day he came into the world with such a powerful political and social movement. “My family and I regret that they must postpone the trip to South Africa to a later date, due to personal reasons,” says Ms. Shakur. “We understand the work and time that everyone has put into making this trip possible but the work of helping the children of South Africa must continue. We will still be sending aid and relief to those organizations and groups that we have established relationships with including the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Over the next couple of months, we want to spend time strengthening those ties. The invitation for the two students to come over to the Tupac Shakur Center on an exchange remains open and we intend to see it to fruition.”

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation was formed to bring a quality arts program to our young people by providing a positive and healthy foundation for them to build and grow upon. To date over 500 students have benefited from the program with a broad range of training available via the Annual Performing Arts Camp. Students are able to study creative writing, vocal technique, acting, stage set design, dance, poetry and spoken word. The Foundation has also hosted Essay competitions throughout the U.S., charity Golf Tournaments and awarded scholarships to students pursuing undergraduate degrees.