A True World Hero: Nelson Mandela

This year is the tenth anniversary of the first democratic elections in the Rainbow Nation known as South Africa. In 1994 Nelson Mandela's African National Congress (ANC) came into power and brought much needed change to the political scene. The election of the first black president was a victory for those who stood up against apartheid, discrimination, oppression and deprivation.

The "architect" of this change is a man regarded as an icon, larger than life, and a great example. The man who lived for his ideals and would be willing even to die for them: Nelson Mandela.

When I was thinking about this issue of Mosaic Minds, the name of this great man immediately popped up in my head. If there was ever to be a political hero, it would be him, definitely.

Why? He earned the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1993 but more than that, Nelson Mandela is a world hero in every sense. A true hero because of his words, attitude and mindset, as well as for the resulting actions. The goals he strived for are the most dignified goals I know: equality and peace. And although we have come a long way, the critical observer will remark that there is still a longer way to go.

Nelson Mandela will be 86 years old on July 18th. Even at his age, he compassionately strives to fulfill his goals for the world. His strong belief in equality led him to be a lawyer in his twenties. He was strongly against racism and although his world was divided between the dominating white and the oppressed black peoples, he never gave in to racism against white people. Still, in his young years and even while in prison, he encountered it on a daily basis. Racism, in all forms, was something he loathed.

He was continuously challenged by the presiding regime in South Africa, which made it terribly difficult for him to serve his clients, black people. For example, when he started to help the people whose lands were siezed in the fifties and sixties, he was forced to relocate his office to another spot where he could hardly be reached by those who needed his help. Yet, Mandela persevered and challenged the apartheid regime. That took a lot of courage, considering that the resolution of conflicts under such regimes tends always to fall in favour of those in power.

His passion and intellect made him a striking person, something that was not lost on the oppressors of the regime, who were increasingly threatened by him. Their solution? Imprison him. After being banned and arrested, he was finally imprisoned in the winter of 1964 on Robben Island, a few kilometres away from the South African Coast.

Take away a person's freedom and you take away everything he has. You would expect a person, any person, to become disillusioned, weary, broken and hopeless while being in prison. One would probably lose ideals and faith in humanity. Not Nelson Mandela!

It was as if being locked away in prison gave him an extra spine with an extra portion of courage to endure everything that was to come. Who could imagine getting up at 4:30 AM to exercise for an hour to strengthen his body? Yet that was what he did. Even in prison he kept his strict routine. It was as if he was saying, "you can lock me up and take away my rights but you will never have the power over me. I will do what I want, when I want and how I want." It's this strong will of his that is admirable and that helped him stand the test of time. One could say that he came out even stronger when he left prison after almost three decades.

Once he was released from prison in February 11, 1990, change seemed unstoppable. Within four years he was elected the first black president, which was an international event. All around the globe, Nelson Mandela has his admirers, from famous people like Bono from U2 and Oprah Winfrey, to ex-colleagues like Bill Clinton, to the countless number of people who live in obscurity. It is as if he has unleashed a chain of reactions that has not halted yet.

His intellect and actions will continue to be a catalyst as long as this true world hero lives.