Celebrated American television host and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey has urged young people in South Africa not to give up on their dreams by emulating the life of the country’s first black president, Nelson Mandela.

Delivering a keynote address at the University of Johannesburg on Thursday, Oprah who runs a girls school in South Africa also shared fond memories of her time spent with the late global icon.

“Nelson Mandela’s life story is a testament to the power of the human spirit and one man’s ability to change the world by standing up for what he believed in.

“It is one of the great honors of my life to have spent so much time with him and I look forward to celebrating his courageous life,” she said.

Oprah is also scheduled to speak on Sunday at the Global Citizen: Mandela 100 concert which is part of a campaign on the Global Goals to end extreme global poverty.

The concert will also be headlined by leading artists from across the world including Beyonce, her husband, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Pharrell Williams, Usher and Chris Martin.

Sho Madjozi, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, Cassper Nyovest, D’banj and Femi Kuti are also lined up to perform at the event scheduled to hold at the at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

World leaders including South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, Norwegian Prime Minister, Erna Solberg and Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo are also expected to attend the festival.

The Global Citizen’s campaign aims to rally about $1 billion in new commitments, with $500 million of that set to be used in impacting the lives of 20 million women and girls worldwide.