International Nelson Mandela Day: What Were His Struggles?

The International Nelson Mandela Day is commemorated every July 18, which coincides with his birthday. The United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed this anniversary in November 2009, recognizing his contribution to the culture of peace, freedom, and human rights. Since its first commemoration in 2010, this day invites each individual to dedicate at least 67 minutes of community service, in honor of the years Mandela dedicated to the fight for justice. One of the most representative is the one carried out by the Nelson Mandela Foundation in collaboration with the UN

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Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in Mvezo, South Africa. As a lawyer and politician, he emerged as a key figure in the African National Congress (ANC) in the fight against the apartheid system of racial segregation. His activism cost him a sentence of 27 years in prison, in which he became a global symbol of resistance against oppression. After his release in 1990, Mandela led, together with Frederik de Klerk, the peaceful transition process that culminated in the first multiracial elections of 1994. That same year he assumed the presidency, prioritizing national reconciliation through the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in order to overcome the pain caused by the injustices of the past. His policy of forgiveness and reconciliation marked an unprecedented milestone, uniting a deeply divided society.

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Under Mandela’s leadership, South Africa undertook an ambitious social reconstruction program known as the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), which improved access to housing, water, electricity, and health for millions of citizens. This comprehensive development model influenced public policies in other developing countries. After his presidency (1994-1999), Nelson Mandela dedicated his time to philanthropy, founding the Nelson Mandela Foundation in 1999, which promotes dialogue, social justice, and historical memory as tools for social cohesion. His figure remains an inspiration for contemporary movements focused on human rights, gender equality, and the eradication of poverty. Likewise, UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted in a recent message that Nelson Mandela represents “a call to rekindle our global commitment to peace, justice, and human dignity”, in line with the observance of International Day.

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Nelson Mandela received more than 260 awards, including:

Nobel Peace Prize (1993)
Philadelphia Liberty Medal (1993)
Presidential Medal of Freedom of the U.S. (2002)
Order of the Danish Lion (Order of the Elephant) (1996)
Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (1988)
Bharat Ratna of India (1990)
Nishan‑e‑Pakistan (1992)
Félix Houphouët‑Boigny Peace Prize (1991)
Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize (1985)
Wolf Award (1995)
Order of Mapungubwe (South Africa, 2002)
International Four Freedoms Award (2002) Meanwhile, in his honor, since 2015, the UN has awarded the Nelson Mandela Prize to outstanding personalities and figures.