South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday said his country's contribution to world peace is through supporting societies in conflict, largely as a result of the legacy of late liberation struggle veteran Nelson Mandela.
"Striving for peace in the world, for an end to conflicts everywhere, and for a true international fellowship of humankind are the ideals that Nelson Mandela stood for," Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly newsletter on the eve of international celebrations of Nelson Mandela Day.
"Such is his towering legacy that it is a day celebrated around the world, with its international observance having been declared by the United Nations in 2009. This is in testament to his role as a revered statesman, unifier and above all, as a peacemaker," Ramaphosa said.
"They were relevant when he was a statesman on the world stage, and they are even more relevant today with many parts of our continent and the world embroiled in conflict," he added. Mandela Day is an annual global celebration that takes place on July 18 to honour the life and legacy of the late liberation struggle veteran and international icon.
This year's Mandela Day will be observed under the theme ‘Climate, Food and Solidarity’ - urging all to action in response to the impact of climate change, addressing the challenges of poverty and inequality. Ramaphosa said South Africa holds fast to the ideal that a better world can be achieved through engendering peace though negotiation and compromise rather than violence, the use of force and resorting to war.
He said South Africa's experience with negotiating an end to apartheid and with building a multi-party democracy, led by Mandela after 27 years as a political prisoner of the white minority apartheid government, was regularly sought out by parties seeking to bring conflict to an end. He cited South Africa’ peace-broking efforts in Northern Ireland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Eswatini, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Ethiopia, and most recently, in Sudan.
"President Mandela said that ‘the heroes are those who make peace and build.’ We will continue to follow in his footsteps by calling for political solutions to conflicts. We are fortified by the towering moral courage of great leaders like President Mandela,” Ramaphosa added.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has initiated a global commemoration of Nelson Mandela International Day along with a network of global partners who will be planting trees, and resourcing home-based/community food gardens across the world. The global celebration will follow the sun as it traverses the globe (East to West), with networks participating on 18 July 2023.
