Nelson Mandela International Day, also known as Mandela Day is an international observance in honour of the revolutionary Nelson Mandela, celebrated annually on his birthday on July 18. The day was officially set by the United Nations in November 2009, with the first observance of Mandela Day held on July 18th 2010. In 2022 the theme will be highlighting the plight of food security and climate change with the tagline, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Nelson Mandela International Day shines a light every year on the legacy of a man whose monumental achievements changed the 20th century and shaped the 21st. His values and determination, a deep commitment to human rights, freedom and justice are reflected on and are a source of inspiration for others. Mandela advocated for the rightful dignity and equality of every living person, and encouraged engagement and solidarity across all borders. His relentless pursuit for equality was paralleled with his status as the founding father of peace in South Africa. Nelson Mandela remains as a symbol of power by resisting oppression. In times of turbulence, Mandela’s legacy teaches everyone to choose dignity over humiliation, speak up during injustice and forgive rather than hate. He once said. “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” In 2014, the Nelson Mandela Prize was established by the UN General Assembly, an award recognizing the achievements of those who went far and beyond to serve humanity. Mandela Day was created to inspire people to embrace the values of democracy and contribute towards the ideals of ensuring a just and fair society. It is an annual celebration of Nelson Mandela’s life and a global call to action for people to recognise their individual power to make an imprint and change the world around them. A global movement for positive change begins with small actions. As each person acts, they fuel momentum towards positive change, raising awareness and expanding the reach of Mandela’s values- fighting injustice, helping people in need and practicing reconciliation. The police brutality towards black minorities is a current problem which even affects developed countries such as the United States. Racism and violence are both still very present, it is important to be reminded by inspiring figures such as Mandela and how important it is to fight for peace and equality. Accordingly, Nelson Mandela’s courage brought justice to his country and greatly improved South Africa over all. First Mandela fought for equality amongst South Africans. The actions he took throughout his political career were all based on this conviction he had. Also, even though Mandela fought against the white minority ruling over the black community, he did not consider white people to be inferior, as he says in the declaration, “I have fought against white domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.” Mandela’s goal was not switching the black and white community’s social ranks, but to them on the same level, despite what one group did to the other in the past. In addition, Nelson Mandela gave a voice to South Africa. Edu World very well understands the sacrifice and the leadership provided by the eminent personality Nelson Mandela. His contributions towards the world cannot be just expressed through words. Edu World celebrates this day with at most sincerity, gratitude, wisdom, love and remembering the greatest leader the world politics has ever seen.
