ICTJ Mourns the Passing of Nelson Mandela, a Luminary in the Struggle for Justice

12/06/2013

ICTJ mourns the passing today of Nelson Mandela, a luminary in the struggle for equal rights in South Africa and around the world. “Nelson Mandela’s courage in the face of oppression, his steadfast commitment to his principles and his magnanimous leadership during a difficult period of transition have long been an inspiration to me personally as well as to millions around the world. As we mourn our loss today, we celebrate a life of true greatness, dedicated to justice, without rancor or bitterness,” said David Tolbert, president of ICTJ.

Mandela will always be remembered as one of the great champions of peace, democracy, and human rights, whose activism, determination, and personal sacrifices helped end apartheid in South Africa. His name became a rallying cry for people around the globe demanding justice. In the years that followed, he helped build a more inclusive society as South Africa’s first black president.

In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela described what freedom meant to him after 27 years in jail as a political prisoner on Robben Island: “For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Mandela’s vision and political leadership will be sorely missed.


PHOTO: Nelson Mandela, Deputy President of the African National Congress of South Africa, raises his fist in the air while addressing the Special Committee Against Apartheid in the General Assembly Hall on June 22, 1990. (UN Photo/Pernaca Sudhakaran)