Picture Gallery: Nelson Mandela's Birthday

This picture taken on July 24, 2007 shows former South African President Nelson Mandela joking with youngsters as they celebrate his 89th birthday at the Nelson Mandela Childrens Fund in Johannesburg. One of Nelson Mandelas cherished dreams of building a southern African paediatric hospital is struggling to take off as the anti-apartheid hero is increasingly too frail to personally raise funds. It was about a decade ago when the former president conceived the idea of a specialist childrens referral and teaching hospital. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

Zurich, SWITZERLAND : TO GO WITH AFP STORY (FILES) A photo taken on May 15, 2004 shows former South African President Nelson Mandela holding the Jules Rimet World cup beside Capetown Archbishop Desmond Tutu, at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Peace activist Desmond Tutu on Monday urged South Africans to celebrate Nelson Mandelas 94th birthday by following his unifying example of tolerance that brought together a divided country. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE

SOWETO, -, SOUTH AFRICA : TO GO WITH AFP STORY (FILES) A photo taken on May 17, 2003 shows former South African President Nelson Mandela (R) huging South African Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu as they pay tribute to their late friend Walter Sisulu, at the apartheid struggle heros state funeral in Soweto. Peace activist Desmond Tutu on Monday urged South Africans to celebrate Nelson Mandelas 94th birthday by following his unifying example of tolerance that brought together a divided country. AFP PHOTO/ALEXANDER JOE

This picture taken on August 02, 2008 shows former South African president and Nobel peace prize laureate Nelson Mandela laughing as he blows the candles on his birthday cake on stage during the Mandela 90th birthday ANC celebration at Loftus stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. AFP PHOTO/GIANLUIGI GUERCIA

FILES) This picture taken on July 5, 1991 in Durban shows Nelson Mandela smiling after being unamimously elected to succed African National Congress (ANC) president Oliver Tambo. AFP PHOTO / TREVOR SAMSON

Africa, Nelson Mandela laughing at a 90th birthday celebration for Mandela held at the French Jules Verne High School in Johannesburg: AFP PHOTO / LIONEL HEALING

FILES) This picture taken on June 22, 1990 shows South African anti-apartheid leader and African National Congress (ANC) member Nelson Mandela smiling in New York, raising his arms over his head as he receives applause at the United Nations. AFP PHOTO / DON EMMERT

(FILES) This picture taken on July 11, 2010 shows South Africas former President Nelson Mandela waving as he arrives to attend the 2010 World Cup football final Netherlands vs. Spain at Soccer City stadium in Soweto, suburban Johannesburg. NO PUSH TO MOBILE / MOBILE USE SOLELY WITHIN EDITORIAL ARTICLE - AFP PHOTO / THOMAS COEX

QUNU, -, SOUTH AFRICA : Former US President, Bill Clinton (R) pays a visit to former South African President Nelson Mandela on July 17, 2012 at his home in Qunu, Eastern Cape, on the eve of his 94th birthday. AFP PHOTO/PETER