Do more to tackle gangs, Mandela tells black leaders

In a personal message to an audience of black businessmen, sports stars, celebrities and politicians, the former South African president will tell them they have a duty to act as role models for the young. He will urge the group, which will also include financiers and journalists, to help underachievers in their own communities.

A signed message will be handed to every guest, reading: "It is important for you as leaders to harness those responsibilities and ensure that you also empower those around you who scale the mountains with you."

Mr Mandela's words come amid growing fears over the alienation of young people in inner cities and concern they may drift into violent gangs because they see no alternative future. Britain's black communities have been caught up in a debate over how much help they should expect from government and the police and how much they should do themselves.

His message will underline recent government-backed research which found that young black teenagers need a new generation of role models.

The guest list at the Mayor of London's inaugural Black Leaders dinner, held at the Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair, includes private equity boss Damon Buffini and Attorney General Baroness Scotland, who were today named as Britain's most influential black people.

Other guests include model Naomi Campbell, Hollywood actress Thandie Newton and England footballer-Sol Campbell. Richard Taylor, father of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor, and Anthony Hamilton, father of Formula One star Lewis Hamilton, have also been invited.

Mr Mandela, 89, is in Britain for the unveiling tomorrow of a statue in his honour in Parliament Square opposite the House of Commons. The 9ft bronze, by Ian Walters, was approved by Westminster council this year after a long-running campaign by Mayor Ken Livingstone.

One of the organisers of the dinner said: "What this shows is that people are making great strides in all sorts of fields. These are the great black role models that everyone has been calling for.

"There are many people doing this that all young men and women could aspire to and we have hundreds of those role models together in one room. It is a great achievement."