Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, born on July 18, 1918, will always be known as the iconic South African leader who fought for peace and human rights in a country where apartheid, a political system that encouraged segregation impeded freedom for the poor and oppressed. Nelson Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the first Black South African to hold this office and the first elected in a fully representative and multiracial election in the country.
In 1962, Mandela was arrested and convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. He served twenty-seven years in prison. An international campaign lobbied for his release that was granted in 1990. He is described as The Father of the Nation and is held in deep respect and admiration in South Africa. Among his more than 250 global awards, here are some:
Nobel Peace Prize, Time's Person of the Year, Bharat Ratna, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Congressional Gold Medal, Sakharov Prize, Gandhi Peace Prize, Lenin Peace Prize, Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding, Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights, Order of the Nile, United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, Indira Gandhi Award for International Justice and Harmony, Ambassador of Conscience Award, UNESCO Peace Prize, Carter–Menil Human Rights Prize, J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding, Simon Bolivar International Prize, Harvard Business School Statesman of the Year Award, W E B DuBois International Medal (from Wikipedia).
The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory contributes to a society, which remembers its pasts, listens to all its voices, and pursues social justice in order to promote peace, human rights and democracy. http://www.nelsonmandela.org/. There was a song that was sung and dedicated to Nelson Mandela sung by Nona Hendryx, a great singer that I absolutely adore and want you to listen to. The song is called “Winds of Change” so please check it out!
We celebrate today, International Nelson Mandela Day, on his 95th birthday! Happy Birthday President Mandela!
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