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Chronicles of Greatness (14d) Nelson Mandela (Grand Finale)
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Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918 –2013)
"Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom."
-Nelson Mandela
In 2002, Mandela reentered South African public life when he questioned the government's approach to HIV-AIDS Crisis in the country. This was because the government refused to support the widespread use of retroviral drugs to treat the epidemic. Rather the government claimed that poverty could have been the real cause of AIDs. In correction to this, Mandela called for strong leadership which he stated “is the key to any effective response in the war against HIV." Mandela also revealed that one of his nieces and two sons of one of his nephews died from AIDS. He later set up the 46664 HIV-AIDS awareness campaign.
September 2, that same year, Mandela joined the world figures who criticized the plans of administrations of the then US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to launch a preemptive, unilateral attack on Iraq.
In 2003, April 30 to be precise, Mandela officiated at the ceremony which marked the transfer of power in Burundi.
In May 2004, Mandela's first wife, Evelyn Mase died.
September 21, that same year, Mandela opened the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory and Commemoration located at one of the offices of Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg. The centre was opened to serve as an archive of his papers, achievements and records.
In January 2005, Mandela supported a plan by British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown to establish a “Marshall Plan” to tackle poverty and debt in Africa. He later went on to lobby for the proposal at a meeting of G7 (Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and US) finance ministers. The meeting was successful, the G& finance ministers agreed in principle to write off up to 100% debts owed by 37 of the world's poorest nations.
In 2007, Mandela celebrated his 89th birthday 18th July with the launch of a group of eminent world-leaders, known as “Elders.” The brainchild of entrepreneur Richard Branson and musician Peter Gabriel. According to Mandela the members of the group will use "their collective experience, their moral courage and their ability to rise above nation, race and creed (to) make our planet a more peaceful and equitable place to live."
29th August the sam year, a bronze of Mandela was unveiled outside the Houses of Parliament in London. The statue remained in Parliament Square as a permanent tribute to Mandela alongside Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln's Statues.
In June 2008, expressed his disappointment about the turmoil in Zimbabwe. That same year, US officially removed him (Mandela) and ANC from its terrorism watch list. Mandela had been added to the list in the 1980s.
In 2009, Mandela backed up the campaign of ANC presidential candidate Jacob Zuma who later won the election and was confirmed as the third elected president of post-apartheid South Africa.
In 2010, July 18 was declared as “Nelso Mandela International Day” by the UN General Assembly in honor of Mandela's achievements.
January 2011, Mandela suffered from lung infection and early 2012, he was hospitalized in Johannesburg to underground a surgery for stomach ailment
December 5, 2013, at age 95, Nelson Mandela drew his last breath at his home in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Nelso Mandela was married three times: Evelyn Ntoko Mase (1944-1957). They had four children together (Mandiba Thembekile, Makgatho, Makaziwe and Maki), Winnie Madikizela (1958 - 1996), they had two daughter together (Zenani & Zindziswa) and Graca Machel (1998 till 2013), this was his wife till he died.
Books: Conversations with myself, A Long Walk to Freedom: Triumph of Hope, 1962-1994, Mandela: An Illustrated Autobiography etc.
Awards: Already mentioned in the biography.
Outstanding Attribute: A heart of service to humanity.
Supporting Attributes: Passion, Persistence and Patience.
Nelson Mandela. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 05:48, May 19, 2015, from http://www.biography.com/people/nelson-mandela-9397017.
Nelson Mandela online. Retrieved 00:30, May 7, 2015 from http://www.nelsonmandelaonline.net
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