Beyonce Pays Tribute to Nelson Mandela Queen B wrote an emotional letter to the humanitarian ahead of her Global Citizen Festival performance. Mandela, South Africa’s former president, died at the age of 95 in 2013. Beyonce’s letter, “Dead Madiba,” discussed the importance Mandela has played in her life. “Your kindness and gratitude for every experience, and your ability to forgive, are lessons I have learned and will pass on to my three children.” Mandela and Bey first met in 2004 at the Aids Benefit Concert in Cape Town. “You were a strategic warrior, a bold activist and charismatic and well-loved leader. Your vision for dignity, for human rights, for peace and a South Africa free of racism and apartheid, allows us all to turn dreams into reality.” She called the opportunity to celebrate his efforts an “honor.” “As we celebrate the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, honoring your centennial year, I promise you that we have made your dreams our own. Your work and your sacrifices were not in vain. I will cherish every moment shared in your presence and use the lessons learned from you as fuel to stir positive ideas and solutions." The letter was published in South Africa’s ‘Sowetan’