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Nelson Mandela never wavered in his devotion to democracy, equality and learning. Despite terrible provocation, he never answered racism with racism. His life has been an inspiration in South Africa and throughout the world to all who are oppressed and deprived and to all who are opposed to oppression and deprivation. |
In a life that symbolised the triumph of the human spirit over man’s inhumanity to man, Nelson Mandela accepted the 1993 Nobel Peace Award on behalf of all South Africans who suffered and sacrificed much to bring peace to their land.
Mandela believed that the triumph over the inhuman system of apartheid would finally bring to a close a history of 500 years of African colonisation and mark a great step forward in history and also serve as a common pledge of the peoples of the world to fight racism wherever it occurs and whatever guise it assumes. He honoured those who scarified everything for liberty, peace and human dignity and upliftment.
Madiba made a call that we devote what remains of our life to the use of our country’s unique and painful experience to demonstrate, in practice, that the normal condition for human existence is democracy, justice, peace, non-sexism, prosperity for everybody, healthy environment, equality and solidarity among people.
He ensured that the 1993 South African Interim Constitution enshrined the spiritual philosophy of Ubuntu and its inherent principles of equality, freedom and justice for all which found further expression in our 1996 Constitution.
Mandela cherished the hope that this 21st century, this African century would at last be the century of the triumph of world peace and global caring. To that end, he called on all of us to carry the flag of the belief in our common humanity and to live out that belief in action even in conditions and circumstances where the opposite sentiment dominates.
We trust that Nelson Mandela Day will serve as a common national platform to serve humanity and to deepen and entrench the spiritual philosophy of Ubuntu and its inherent values of equality, freedom and justice for all.
Mandela Day, marked on his birthday of July 18, is a call to action for individuals everywhere to take responsibility for making the world a better place, one small step at a time, just as Mandela did for more than 67 years.
He once said: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
Nelson Mandela International Day was launched July 18, 2009, via a unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly.
It was inspired by a call Mandela made a year earlier, for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said that “it is in your hands now”.
It is more than a celebration of Madiba’s life and legacy. It is a global movement to honour his life’s work and act to change the world for the better.
The message behind Mandela Day is simple – each individual has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better.
If each one of us heeded the call to simply do good every day, we would be living Mandela’s legacy and helping to build a country of our dreams.
The baton of leadership has been handed over to us. It is in our hands now to make a positive difference.
The current year is particularly symbolic as we work to honour a great statesman and make every day a Mandela Day as we mark South Africa’s 20 years of democratic freedom.
Nelson Mandela followed three rules throughout his life, which he did at great personal sacrifice:
1) Free yourself.
2) Free others.
3) Serve every day.
Mandela Day is a global call to action for citizens of the world to take up the challenge and follow in the formidable footsteps of Madiba, a man who transformed his life, served his country and freed his people. Its objective is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better and in so doing, to build a global movement for good.
The question we must ask ourselves is what we are doing to make the world a better place; what are we doing to make every day a Mandela Day?
Mandela Day is dynamic and ever-changing: it belongs to everyone and can take place anywhere, at any time. We urge everyone to find inspiration for their contribution in the legacy of Nelson Mandela and to serve their fellow humans every day.
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