It is impossible to sum up the life of Nelson Mandela in one page on a website. Mandela went from political prisoner to South Africa’s first black president, campaigning not just against oppression, but strongly FOR democracy, freedom and equality.
In 1997 Mandela received an Honorary Doctorate from the Ben Gurion University, Israel. During his acceptance speech, Mandela said, “We admire the efforts that are being made by Palestinian and Israeli citizens to transcend the historical divide and thereby lessen the tensions endangering the process. May their courageous message of peace and partnership be heard throughout the communities they are seeking to unite, across the Middle East and further afield, including here in our own country of South Africa. May their noble actions serve as a force of example for us, for whoever and wherever we are, to make our voices heard in support of reason, rationality and integrity in dealing with this complex situation”.
On receiving the tragic news of Mandela’s death, on Thursday 6th December 2013, comments and tributes came pouring in from South Africa and the entire world community.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “Nelson Mandela was among the greatest figures of our time. He was the father of his country, a man of vision and a freedom fighter who disavowed violence. He set a personal example for his country during the long years in which he was imprisoned. He was never haughty. He worked to heal rifts within South African society and succeeded in preventing outbreaks of racial hatred. He will be remembered as the father of the new South Africa and a moral leader of the highest order.”
President Shimon Peres also released a special statement following the death of Nelson Mandela. President Peres said, “The world lost a great leader who changed the course of history. On behalf of the citizens of Israel we mourn alongside the nations of the world and the people of South Africa, who lost an exceptional leader. Nelson Mandela was a fighter for human rights who left an indelible mark on the struggle against racism and discrimination. He was a passionate advocate for democracy, a respected mediator, a Nobel peace prize laureate and above all a builder of bridges of peace and dialogue who paid a heavy personal price for his struggle in the years he spent in prison and fighting for his people. Nelson Mandela’s legacy for his people and for the world will forever remain engraved in the pages of history and the hearts of all those who were touched by him. He will be remembered forever.”