The world leader's birthday is celebrated as 'Mandela Day' for his lifelong fight against apartheid. In November 2009, the United Nations officially declared Mandela's birthday on 16 July as Mandela Day.
The Mandela Foundation organizes various events on the occasion. The Mandela speech is one of them. Every year a prominent person in the world is invited to give a Mandela lecture. In 2009, Mandela was addressed by Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank and a Nobel laureate. Earlier, Mandela was addressed by US President Bill Clinton, South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Kenyan Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Mathai, South African President Thabo Mbeki, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Liberian President Ellen Johnson.
At the invitation of the Mandela Foundation, I had the opportunity to travel to South Africa as a member of Professor Yunus' delegation. On that occasion, I had the privilege of meeting with Mandela and attending various events organized on Mandela Day. It is rare to meet a world leader like Mandela. Such people are like a dream. Seeing, talking or touching them is a different feeling. Mandela is a man who has endured 26 years of inhumane torture in a dark prison for his patriotism, who, despite the temptations of a apartheid government, has remained steadfast in his principles and ideals, whose lust for power has failed to tempt him.
A Foundation official took us from the Hotel Westcliff to the Mandela Foundation to meet with Mandela. The Foundation's tidy office on Central Road in the Houghton area of Johannesburg. At one point in Mandela's meeting with Professor Yunus, we were taken to his room. Mandela is sitting on the sofa, numb with age but calm and gentle and determined. Professor. Yunus introduced us.
Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in the remote village of Vejo in Transkei. His father Henry was the head of the Tembu tribe. After birth, his father named him Rohilahla, which means 'trouble maker'. When Mandela was very young, an incident took their family away. One man complained to a white magistrate that one of Henry's bulls had ruined his farm. The magistrate summoned Henry to his office. Henry was a stubborn man. He refused to go to the magistrate. The magistrate brought charges of disobedience against him. At the same time, he was removed from the post of tribal chief and his cattle and lands were confiscated. He then left his ancestral Vita and settled in nearby Kunu. At the age of seven, Henry admitted Mandela to a village school. The school teachers named him Nelson.
Ruined the crops of his field. The magistrate summoned Henry to his office. Henry was a stubborn man. He refused to go to the magistrate. The magistrate brought charges of disobedience against him. At the same time, he was removed from the post of tribal chief and his cattle and lands were confiscated. He then left his ancestral Vita and settled in nearby Kunu. At the age of seven, Henry admitted Mandela to a village school. The school teachers named him Nelson.
Mandela's surname is Madiba. The people of South Africa affectionately call her Madiba. When Mandela was just 9 years old, his father died of lung disease. Shortly before his death, Henry's friend Jangintaba (the genius of the Tembu king) came to see him. Henry asks Jangintaba to take charge of his son's education. Jangintaba promised him that he would educate Rohilahla in a proper manner. After his father's death, Mandela took refuge in the Great Palace in Jungintabar, Kiuhikizuini. Jangintaba raised him like his own son. Mandela continued to grow up as a member of the royal family, such as Justice and Sabata, the son of Jangintaba, and his daughters, Nemafu and Jijo.
According to tribal custom, adolescent Mandela and Justice were circumcised in a solemn ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, Jangintaba called them and said, "You are now an adult." It is my duty to marry you. And I want to finish this duty very soon. Mandela and Justice were worried. Now they bet that they will not get married at all. But there is no reason why Jangintabar's order should be different. Inevitably they decided to flee to Johannesburg. There is no money in hand, what can be done? After stealing, Jangintabar sold a few cows and set off to catch a train to Johannesburg. When they went to buy tickets, the stationmaster wanted to see their permit. At that time, there was a law of racist government that if a black person wanted to move from one city to another, he would need permission from the authorities. But blacks would not need a permit to travel under the supervision of whites. They took refuge in a white old woman, a Johannesburg passenger waiting at the station. He begged the old woman to take him with them. The old woman agreed, but in exchange for money. Almost all of the money they got from selling cows had to be paid to the old woman. Arriving in Johannesburg, they spent the night with the old woman's housekeepers. The next day he went out in search of work and found work in a coal mine. Jangintaba was so influential that even whites respected him. He easily found them. At his suggestion, Mandela and Justice were removed from the mine.
Mandela's life was varied. There were shepherds, missionboys, mining police, law firm clerks, boxers, lawyers, political activists, guerrilla fighters, revolutionary leaders and statesmen. Angry at the role of central leaders of the African National Congress against the apartheid government, Mandela founded the ANC's youth wing with Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu. He has given impetus to the ongoing movement by inciting the youth to disobey racist laws and voluntary imprisonment. Hulia has organized workers across the country with her head, leaving the country in disguise and touring various countries in Africa. He has collected support, money and weapons for the ANC from the governments and heads of state of those countries. Guerrilla warfare with military training. In his youth, Nehru's ideals greatly influenced him. He often quoted Nehru as saying, "There is no straightforward path to freedom. As you can see, nowhere in the world is freedom easily achieved. We have to walk through the shadowy valley again and again before climbing to the top of the mountain. '
Again in adulthood we see Mandela being inspired by Gandhianism. During his imprisonment, ministers and high-ranking officials of the racist government offered him conditional release on numerous occasions. But every time he hatefully rejected all offers, he said he would fight until the people of South Africa were liberated. This determined attitude made him a symbol of South African nationalism.
On Mandela's 70th birthday, the London Times called him a "living statue of African nationalism." Again, we see Mandela negotiating with the government in captivity for his release and transfer of power. At the same time, we also note that despite his impossible popularity, he has tried to know the attitude of the party without taking any decision alone and has taken the advice of the leaders. A perfect example of his respect for democracy and visionary leadership is the meeting with the ANC Central Committee at Jailgate shortly after his release. During the meeting, he was briefed on the state of the party and sought the views of the leaders on national and international issues. He even discussed with the leaders what he would say after leaving the quarantine. After his release, he faced a difficult challenge. Will he be able to bring an end to the extremely hostile white-black chapter of riot-torn South Africa? Can oppressed and deprived black people live peacefully under one flag with oppressive and exploitative whites? These questions Shane was extremely optimistic, apprehensive and hesitant.
With his hypnotic power, Mandela inspired the whole nation to the ideals of non-violence and forgiveness. He was able to create a unique example of the coexistence of blacks and whites, even though he could not completely eradicate apartheid. But the task was not easy at all. Many ANC leaders themselves could not accept Mandela's policy of coexistence. But Mandela has thought about the future of the country. So, like other countries in Africa, he did not join the 'persecute whites' movement. Thus South Africa was crushed by the mill of terrorism and poverty, on which the country's trade was controlled by whites. As a result, Mandela did not want to risk the collapse of the country's economy by expelling whites for good reason. On the other hand, he did not want to hurt the western world by joining the white persecution movement. Despite the ANC winning an absolute majority in the 1994 elections, he formed a government of national unity with rival opponents in the interest of national unity. He appointed PW Botha, the last white president of South Africa, as vice president. Juluneta Mangosuthu Buthelji, a staunch anti-white and riotous man, was appointed home minister. After being elected president, many thought that Mandela would not relinquish power as long as he lived. But he proved this idea wrong and did not run in the 1999 elections.
There are countless instances in history where many leaders have later become arbitrary dictators by capitalizing on popularity. But Mandela was the exception. After Mahatma Gandhi, he was probably the only person whom the clade of power could not touch. And so Mandela became a role model for everyone beyond the borders of his country. That ideal inspires the world to be detached from power and wealth and to have a sense of humanity free from race, religion and caste.
I really respect this person