On this day, we pay tribute to Nelson Mandela who was an extraordinary global advocate for dignity and equality, a leader of unparalleled courage and towering achievement and one of the most iconic and inspirational leaders of our time. Nelson Mandela exemplified courage, compassion and commitment to freedom, peace and social justice. He lived by these principles and was prepared to sacrifice his liberty and even his life for them. In the face of great adversity, he displayed extreme courage and resilience and proved that all of us have the ability and responsibility to fight against the blight of racism, discrimination, hate, polarization, poverty, and inequalities with positive thinking, social cohesion and forgiveness and passion to build a better future for all. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison for fighting against his country’s discriminatory apartheid system of racial segregation without losing hope and finally succeeded in bringing an end to apartheid and ushered in a peaceful transition to majority rule. While in power as President of South Africa, he emphasized personal forgiveness and reconciliation, pursued national reconciliation and reassured non-discrimination against South Africa’s white population despite having an overwhelming majority. Let us find hope in Nelson Mandela’s example and inspiration in his vision and speak out against hate and stand up for human rights by embracing our common humanity to make our world more just, compassionate, prosperous, and sustainable for all. On this day, we also renew our pledge to strengthen democratic norms of civility across party lines, tolerance for dissent, inclusive and democratic decision-making, freedom of speech, equality before the law and social justice for the empowerment of our country and our people.
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