Happy Mandela Day, Madiba

THE United Nations declaration of 18 July – birthday of the global
iconNelson Rolihlahla Mandela – as Mandela Day will be marked with
sobriety as the 95-year-old former South African president spends his
sixth straight week in hospital.
Activities lined up to celebrate the man whose resolve was central to
ending apartheid, include school children all over South Africa
singing "happy birthday" to him this morning, a United Nations special
session, and a legacy bridge to be opened in Mveso, Transkei, near his
home townof Qunu. The UN declared Mandela Day in 2010 as a special day
to remind people to do good for humanity which is what Mandela
epitomises.
"This year's commemoration comes at a sensitive time for President
Mandela and his family,"said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon ."He is an
extraordinary man who continues to inspire the world through his
example of courage, compassion and commitment to justice for all."
Born on 18 July 1918, Mandela became actively involved in the
anti-apartheid movement in his 20s, joining the African National
Congress in 1942. He attended the University College of Fort Hare and
later enrolled at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg to
study law.
In 1963, he was brought to trial with 10 other ANC leaders and
sentenced to life imprisonment. Mandela was incarcerated for 27 years.
While in prison, he earned a Bachelor of Law degree through a
Universityof London correspondence programme.
On February 11, 1990 Frederick De Klerk released Mandela and unbanned
the ANC. In 1993, Mandela and de Klerk were jointly awardedthe Nobel
Peace Prize. On April 27, 1994, South Africa held its first democratic
elections. Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first black
president on May 10, 1994, at the age of 77, with de Klerk as hisfirst
deputy.
By the 1999 general election, Mandela had retired from active
politics. His published works include the biography,No Easy Walk to
Freedom.
Mandela made his last public appearance to date in 2010, at the final
match of the World Cup in South Africa. In December 2012, Mandela was
hospitalised for a lung infection. He was re-admitted in March 2013for
a lung infection. On June 8, 2013, Mandela was rushed to a hospitalin
Pretoria, he is still there.
He married thrice – to Evelyn Ntoko Mase (1944 to 1957), they had four
children; Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (1958 to 1996), they had
twodaughters and in 1998 to Graca Machel.
"Never before in history was one human being so universally
acknowledged in his lifetime as the embodiment of magnanimity and
reconciliation,"Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu, once said of
Mandela.
We wish Madiba happy birthday and quick recovery.