The symbol of the fight against racial discrimination: Who is Nelson Mandela?

Mandela, one of the world's most respected statesmen, led the struggle to overthrow the apartheid regime in South Africa and replace it with a democracy in which all races were equally represented.

After serving 27 years in prison, he became South Africa's first black president and led the way in bringing peace to other conflict-ridden parts of the world.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Mandela's attractive personality, his sense of humor coming from his humility, and his lack of grudges and resentments despite the violence he was subjected to, undoubtedly explain why he is a leader admired by the whole world.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by fostering racial reconciliation. Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist, he served as the president of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.

Mandela, who stepped down as president in 1999, has since served as South Africa's highest-level ambassador, taking part in campaigns against HIV/Aids, and also making special efforts for his country to win the right to host the 2010 World Football Cup.

Even though he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001, he did not stop his activities and took part in peace negotiations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and other African countries.

In 2004, at the age of 85, Mandela announced that he was retiring from active public life to devote more time to his family and friends.

Photographs of a meeting he attended with members of the USA and South Africa national football teams in November 2010 were distributed to the press.

WHO?

Nelson Mandela was born in 1918 in a small village in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. His grandfather was the king of the Thembu tribe and his father was the tribal chief. He is known as "Madiba" by the nickname he is called in the tribe in South Africa.

Born with the name Rolihlahla Dalibhunga; However, his teacher gave him the English name "Nelson".

Since his mother belonged to the Christian Methodist sect, he studied law at the only university in South Africa where blacks could study, after attending Methodist boarding schools.

He first joined the African National Congress (ANC), which defended the indigenous people's struggle for rights against the whites, in 1943, when he was 25 years old and as an activist. He later founded the ANC Youth Branch and served as its president.

He married his first wife, Evelyn Mase, in 1944, and the couple, who had three children, divorced in 1957.

After completing his education, he opened his first law firm in Johannesburg in 1952 with his partner Oliver Tambo.

By the 1950s, racial discrimination began to take effect. Nelson Mandela began to take an active role in the African National Congress. Mandela, who advocated a more militant organization, was arrested many times and was banned from engaging in political activities.

He became close to South African communist whites who shared his dream of a South Africa where whites and blacks lived together.

Together, Mandela and Tambo campaigned against the apartheid system implemented by the white-founded National Party, which oppressed the black majority.

Mandela, along with 155 activists, was accused of the highest level of treason in 1956, but the charges against him were dropped after four years of trials.

Resistance against racial discrimination grew day by day; In particular, reactions grew stronger against laws limiting where blacks could live and work.

Mandela married Winnie Madikizela in 1958, but when the ANC was declared illegal in 1960, he was forced to go into hiding with other party members.

Racial discrimination began to be felt more and more; The Sharpeville massacre, in which 69 black people were killed by police in 1960, was a turning point.

Life imprisonment

This incident brought the end of the peaceful resistance. Mandela, who was vice-president of the ANC at the time, launched an armed struggle against army and government targets, establishing the armed wing of the ANC.

After a while, he was arrested and imprisoned, accused of trying to overthrow the government and incite the public.

While defending himself during the famous Rivonia trial, where ten members of the African National Council were tried for their actions aimed at overthrowing the apartheid regime, Mandela expressed his views on democracy, freedom, and equality with the following words:

"I have adopted the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all people live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. This is an ideal that I want to live for and achieve. But if necessary, I will die for it."

Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment in the winter of 1964, at the age of 46.

He lived on Robben (Seal) Island off the coast of Cape Town for 18 years until he was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in 1982.

Last years

The biggest problem during Nelson Mandela's presidency was the lack of housing for the poor and the inability to deal with the slums that were common in big cities.

Mandela married Graca Machel for the third time on his 80th birthday.

While he left responsibility for government affairs to his deputy, Thabo Mbeki, he began to take on more symbolic roles; He focused on building South Africa's new image in the international environment.

In this context, he persuaded giant multinational companies in the country to continue their investments.

On his 89th birthday, he formed the "Wise Men" group, which will provide consultancy in solving the world's most difficult problems.

Perhaps his most notable campaign in recent years occurred after the death of his son Makgatho in 1995.

Mandela announced that his son died of AIDS in a country where taboos about the AIDS epidemic still prevail, and called on South Africans to accept that AIDS "is a normal disease and to be able to talk about it."

Nelson Mandela last met with his people at the closing of the 2010 World Cup.

Mandela, who had a serious chest infection in January 2011, was checked for abdominal discomfort a year later.

In late 2012, Mandela was hospitalized again and it was announced that he had gallbladder surgery.

Mandela spent almost all of his time in the village of Qunu, near his birthplace.

Although Mandela was physically weak and his memory had weakened, his visitors said that they found him in a very pleasant mood.