46664
46664 was the identification number assigned to Nelson Mandela as a prisoner on Robben Island, where he was the 466th inmate admitted in 1964.[1][2] The numeral later served as the branding for an international campaign launched by Mandela in 2003 to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly in Africa, through music-driven events aimed at raising awareness and funds.[3][4] The initiative repurposed Mandela's prison identity—originally imposed by the apartheid regime to dehumanize political prisoners—into a symbol of resistance and advocacy, transforming personal hardship into a global call to action against another form of "imprisonment" by disease.[5] The inaugural 46664 concert, held on November 29, 2003, at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, drew international artists including Queen and Bono, marking a pivotal shift in Mandela's post-presidency focus on public health after earlier criticisms of his government's muted response to the crisis.[6][7] Subsequent events, such as the 2008 Hyde Park concert honoring Mandela's 90th birthday, extended the campaign's reach, emphasizing education, prevention, and treatment access while tying into broader efforts like Mandela Day, which encourages 67 minutes of community service annually.[8] The 46664 efforts highlighted causal links between stigma, poverty, and infection rates, prioritizing empirical interventions over denialism that had previously hindered progress in South Africa.[9]