ACHRS Statement on Nelson Mandela Day.

Today, we celebrate Nelson Mandela Day at ACHR, honoring the legacy of a global icon who fought tirelessly for justice, equality, and human rights. We extend our congratulations to all who continue to uphold his values.

Since 2010, the United Nations has celebrated Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July, honoring the birth of South Africa’s former president and his significant contributions to the struggle for national liberation and social advancement. Mandela’s legacy encompasses the promotion of freedom, equality, social justice, tolerance, and peace founded on justice and respect for human rights.

Nelson Mandela is revered globally as a symbol of courage and unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom, equality, and justice. He fought against all forms of colonialism, exploitation, oppression, racism, apartheid, intolerance, and hatred. Today, these issues manifest as poverty, hunger, ignorance, inequality, climate crisis, and the burden of debt, alongside double standards in human and peoples’ rights.

Recalling the life of the late Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners in December 2015, naming them the “Nelson Mandela Rules.” These rules provide solutions based on fundamental principles of security, safety, and dignity for all prisoners, ensuring criminal justice reform that upholds human dignity in prisons—a necessity in many countries today for making a real difference for prisoners, prison staff, and society as a whole.

On this occasion, as the Palestinian people endure genocide in Gaza for over nine months, we are reminded of Nelson Mandela’s powerful statement on Palestinian freedom and self-determination: “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

A crucial lesson from Mandela’s life is the resilience against defamation. Despite being labeled a terrorist by the United States from earlier 1980s on the time of president Ronald Reagan until his name was removed from the list on 28 July 2008—14 years after being elected president of South Africa in 1994—Mandela’s legacy demonstrates that labeling freedom fighters as terrorists brings shame to those who impose such labels.

As we honor the life and legacy of the freedom icon Nelson Mandela, let us draw inspiration from his humanity, dignity, and pursuit of justice. Recalling Senator John Kerry’s statement following the U.S. Senate’s decision to remove Mandela from the terrorist list: “Today the United States has finally moved to right a great wrong by erasing the shameful blemish of labeling this great leader as a terrorist.”

Finally, as we commemorate the struggle and leadership of Nelson Mandela, we hope that everyone draws from his spirit in championing the values of freedom, equality, social justice, dignity, and peace founded on justice.