Watch the video below and read the transcription to learn more about Nelson Mandela.
“We explain how Nelson Mandela fought for equality and freedom. Today, Neslon Mandela is one of the best-known role models in the fight against oppression and racial segregation. In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his achievements, but what exactly did he do to fight for a more just and free world?
On July 18th, 1918, when Mandela was born, his father gave him the name Rolihlahla, which means something like ‘troublemaker’. A coincidence, or a sign of things to come?
Mandela grew up in a traditional Xhosa clan, before going to an English-speaking boarding school. That was where he first got the name Nelson. At law school, he fought actively against the South African system of racial segregation, known as Apartheid, which was even written into the law. Mandela joined the ANC, a party that advocated for black Africans rights. Although Mandela initially believed in peaceful protest, he changed his mind in favour of armed resistance. After the ANC was banned, Mandela’s struggle went underground. But Mandela couldn’t hide forever. In 1962, he was arrested and sentenced to a life in prison, as a terrorist. Although some Western politicians supported his imprisonment, more and more people around the world advocated for his release. In 1990, South Africa’s new president, Frederik de Klerk, gave in and set the troublemaker free. Four years later, Nelson Mandela ran for office in the country’s first democratic election and was voted in as South Africa’s very first black president. Considering himself the president of all South Africans, he united the country that had been divided along racial lines. One of the ways Mandela did this was through sports, such as rugby, which the black population rejected as a sport of apartheid. When South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup and won the final, Mandela gave the team captain a congratulatory hug, in front of millions of viewers: an enormous gesture of reconciliation. Whether through his efforts for the Soccer World Cup or his foundation against AIDS, even after leaving politics Mandela remained dedicated to his country. To commemorate his tireless struggle, in 2009 an International Day of Remembrance was created in his name on July 18th. Even after his death, Mandela’s dedication to peace and reconciliation continues to bear fruit in South Africa and worldwide.”