Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was one
of the most loved and respected man in
the world. For countless reasons he was
and remains a huge hero. He was a person from whom we can all learn many
lessons. He experienced many things in his nine decades, from being tortured to
becoming president of the country he loved. After retiring, he continued to
travel the world, helping people and
raise awareness of global issues.
Nelson was born in 1918
into a South Africa that was divided a long
black and white racial lines. He said he had a wonderful childhood and was a
keen runner and boxer. He learnt more of the terrible apartheid system when he
studied to become a lawyer. This led to his campaigning for equal rights and
his involvement in the African National Congress (ANC), which he later became
the leader of.
Nelson Mandela's call
for racial reconciliation won him the hearts of millions. He also won the Nobel
Peace Prize, in 1993, and over 250 more awards. A year later, he became his
country's first ever black president and served in office until 1999. In his
retirement, he continued to tirelessly campaign for many global causes until
old age slowed him down. He died on the 5th of December, 2013, aged 95.
