In 1993 Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This is hardly surprising considering the work he has done. A Nobel Peace Prize is not won lightly. Under Nelson Mandela leadership the injustice of apartheid has been addressed and to a large extent ended (at least politically and on paper). Nelson Mandela himself now leads a quiet existence in peace.
There is no peace without equality and this is a message Nobel peace prize Mandela has sought all his life to bring through to the people of South Africa and the people of the world. I doubt there are many people in this world who do not believe that Mandala was a man worthy of this prize.
His own people have shown him the honor by naming him Mandiba. This is an honorary name that represents his tribe, and some say the one he prefers. It is a sign of both affection and highest respect. He is also known as Khulu , meaning great or paramount and as Dalibhunga (having past through the rite of passage).Many names, one person.
Nelson Mandela and peace are synonymous. Equal opportunity, education and political rights are the things that Nelson Mandela has spent his life fighting for. Inequality is seen all over the world, but perhaps nowhere more so in the racial conflict that apartheid brought to South Africa.
In his acceptance of the Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Prize he had this to say – These countless human beings, both inside and outside our country, had the nobility of spirit to stand in the path of tyranny and injustice, without seeking selfish gain. “They recognised that an injury to one is an injury to all and therefore acted together in defence of justice and a common human decency.” In his own efforts Mandela recognised those of others and the work that they had done to bring peace to his people and all humanity.
Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Frederick William de Kirk for “their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa”. These are no small words of praise.
After 27 years of imprisonment, in which Nelson Mandela continued to uphold the political rights of black South Africans (reflecting on the rights of people everywhere) he went on to become president of South Africa.
Reading the books of Nelson Mandela and researching the whole meaning behind apartheid and what it meant can give a greater understanding as to why Nelson Mandela and Nobel Peace work.
There have obviously been more than a few people granted the Nobel Peace Prize (President Barack Obama being the most recent and perhaps controversial) Apart from the extreme racists of South Africa, I doubt there is anyone who could question Nelson Mandela’s worthiness of this honor.
A stand against racial inequality, above all odds (including 27 years in prison); the ability to ignite the world with the realisation of what was really happening; an on-going fight against racism in any form anywhere are the hallmarks of Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela – Nobel Peace – never has there been a better match.