Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was born in 1918. He was imprisoned for 27 years by South Africa’s white minority government due to his protests and movements against apartheid. During his years in prison, Mandela’s reputation grew steadily. His release in 1990 had a worldwide significance. He once again became active in negotiations with the government. In the first multi-racial democratic elections in the history of South Africa held in 1994, he led his African National Congress to victory. Thus, he was elected as the first black president of South Africa in 1994 – a position he held until 1999. He ended apartheid, and committed equality and justice to all. Mandela has received over 100 awards and honours. Among them most notable are the Nobel Peace Prize (1993) and Bharat Ratna (1990). Post-retirement, one of Mandela’s primary commitments has been to garner support for the fight against AIDS. As a revolutionary, he is a source of inspiration for people in the world.