Nelson Mandela International Day: A Call to Make a Difference
Every year on July 18th, the United Nations encourages people around the world to celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day by taking action to positively impact their communities.
The UN emphasizes that everyone has the power and responsibility to make the world a better place. On its website, the organization honors Mandela with his words: “It is easy to break and to destroy. Heroes are those who make peace and build.”
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in Mvezo, South Africa, and passed away on December 5, 2013, in Johannesburg. He was a prominent anti-apartheid activist, a champion of racial equality, and served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999.
Mandela spent over 27 years in prison for charges including sabotage. He was initially arrested in 1962 and released in 1990. His first sentence was five years for inciting a strike, but he was later sentenced to life imprisonment for sabotage and related offenses. Most of his incarceration took place on Robben Island, with additional time spent at Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison.
His negotiations in the early 1990s with then-South African President F.W. de Klerk were instrumental in dismantling the country’s apartheid system of racial segregation. Their efforts led to a peaceful transition to majority rule, and both leaders were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama described Mandela as a symbol of justice, equality, and dignity—an enduring figure whose legacy continues to inspire worldwide.
