New Delhi, July 19 -- Dozens of South African chefs, community cooks, caterers, and culinary students joined forces Friday in Johannesburg to make 67,000 liters (17,700 gallons) of soup to feed the hungry, in celebration of Nelson Mandela Day.

First officially recognized by the United Nations in 2009, International Nelson Mandela Day encourages people to commemorate the birthday and legacy of South Africa's first Black president by volunteering for 67 minutes, which is equivalent to his 67 years of public service.

To mark the birthday of South Africa's former head of state, who was born in 1918, cooks all over the country made soup in their own kitchens to contribute toward reaching the target.

At the Johannesburg-based HTA School of C...