On December 1, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 18 July, Nelson Mandela’s birthday, as “Nelson Mandela International Day” in recognition of Mandela’s struggle against racism and for the cause of freedom. On the day, which will be celebrated for the thirteenth time this year, Nelson Mandela is commemorated for his forgiving and unifying attitude despite all the oppression and torture he endured.
Mandela embarked on an intense struggle against the “apartheid” regime, which included discriminatory rules and practices between non-white races and white races, which lasted until he was elected President of South Africa.
From his tribal life to becoming the first black lawyer in South Africa, Mandela joined the African National Council against racist oppression and attacks. He became one of the leading figures in the work of the National Council after the party in power at the time switched to apartheid. Due to his role in this process, he was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1963. During the 27 years he spent in prison, he was made to work in stone and lime quarries and was not allowed access to his family. Mandela, who was 71 years old when he was released from prison, led the black community in South Africa with his forgiving and unifying attitude.
Together with the then President of the Republic of South Africa, Frederik Willem de Klerk, who made a significant contribution to Mandela’s release and the abolition of the apartheid regime, Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. In 1994 national elections in which Africans from all statuses participated, Nelson Mandela became the first democratically elected black President of the Republic of South Africa. During his presidency, Mandela was involved in the drafting of a new constitution, land reform, and the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address injustices committed in previous periods. Mandela, who served only one term as president in line with his promise made during the election process, refused to run in a second election and devoted the rest of his life to charity work and the fight against poverty and AIDS.
As someone who had been in prison for a long time, Mandela worked on setting standards for prison conditions. To honor Mandela’s work, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the “United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners” as the “Nelson Mandela Rules” by its resolution of 4 December 2015, updating some of its articles.
As the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye, on this important day, we invite all humanity to work towards achieving the world in Nelson Mandela’s ideal.