In memory of Nelson Mandela

Prisoner Number:  46664

December 5, 2013 is a day we are going to remember forever; on that day, a great man passed away. For many people Nelson Mandela is the symbol of freedom and equality. He was a man, who was never afraid of fighting against apartheid (system of racial segregation) that had taken over in South Africa until the 1990’s. 

Born in 1918 Mandela received a Western-style education. After finishing secondary school, he continued his university studies in Law. He graduated in 1943 and a year later joined the African National Congress (ANC), which aimed to fight against the oppression lead by the Afrikaners. 

Mandela, often called Madiba, the name given to him by his clan, spent 27 years in prison for having raised his voice against the apartheid introduced by white people in the Republic of South Africa. 

After his release in 1990, Mandela was the main interlocutor of President De Klerk (National Party) in order to negotiate the democratization process. For their common efforts for peace, they shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. 

The first democratic elections in South Africa took place in 1994. After winning the elections, Mandela became the first black president of South Africa. His main objective was the national reconciliation. A key moment was his support towards the rugby team of Springboks, a historical symbol of the apartheid regime, in the Rugby World Cup in 1995. Having won the World Cup, Mandela’s dream came true: the people of South Africa, white and black, for the first time were proud to be South African. 

A lover of boxing, rugby, and football, Madiba understood the power of sport. He acknowledged that sport is a very useful tool that can be used in many areas of life.

"Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does." 

Mandela is an example for everybody. He taught the world that we must fight to reach our aims, that we should not give up, and any dream can come true. We should never forget his lesson!