Nelson Mandela International Day
July 18, 2024 2024-07-18 16:12Nelson Mandela International Day
Nelson Mandela International Day
Every year on 18th July, the Nelson Mandela International Day is celebrated worldwide. The day was declared by the United Nations in 2009 through a resolution of the General Assembly. It was on July 18, 2010 when the first United Nations Mandela Day was held. The day is not intended as a public holiday but celebrates the life and work of Nelson Mandela through community service and volunteering.
Who was Nelson Mandela?
Nelson Mandela was a nationalist and the first democratically elected black president of South Africa. In 1990, he negotiated with South African President F. W. de Klerk to end the system of racism and apartheid and usher in democracy. Both Presidents jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. Nelson Mandela was President of South Africa for 5 years from 1994 to 1999.
From 1964 to 1982, Mandela was imprisoned by the South African state for treason. Even when he was in prison, the black community was very supportive of him. In the meantime, he purportedly turned down three conditional offers to get him released. Mandela did not seek a second term as President but maintained a very strong international presence to ensure the promotion of peace and social justice. Mandela breathed his last in 2013 at the age of 95 after suffering from chronic respiratory disease.
The 18th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture
The 18th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture was delivered by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the occasion of Nelson Mandela International Day in 2020. For the first time ever, due to Covid-19, the lecture was delivered through video conference. The Secretary-General highlighted the inequalities in today’s world and the injustices that the world should continue fighting.
67 Minutes Mandela Day
Mandela Day is also called 67 Minutes Mandela Day. The phrase “67 minutes” is used to convey the message that on this day people should do something positive for 67 minutes, one minute for every year that Mandela served his country.
Nelson Mandela’s birthday falls on July 18. Mandela himself had suggested the idea of this day on the occasion of his 90th birthday. He said, “It is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It’s in your hands now.”
