[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11186]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        IN HONOR OF MANDELA DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 11, 2012

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I happily rise today to celebrate Nelson 
Mandela's birthday on July 18. Mr. Mandela is a man whose life has been 
absolutely dedicated to service and social justice.
  From a young age, Mr. Mandela was aware of the economic and civil 
injustices that plagued South Africa under apartheid, where racial 
discrimination was official government policy. Mr. Mandela joined the 
African National Congress and worked to end minority rule in his home 
country, becoming an enemy of the South African government.
  In 1963, Mr. Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment for political 
offenses, ultimately serving 27 years. During this time, he refused to 
renounce his political beliefs in exchange for a reduced term, and he 
remained steadfastly committed to his cause. Many would see a life 
sentence as total defeat, but Mr. Mandela continued his campaign and, 
in doing so, became an international symbol of resistance.
  Despite a lifetime of constant struggle, Mr. Mandela never became 
bitter or overcome with anger. He instead looked ahead to the 
possibility of equality and freedom in a country that had always been 
divided by race. His dream was not to wage war against his oppressors. 
Rather he sought to liberate them from ignorance and hatred and create 
a unified nation.
  Mr. Mandela's struggle has distinguished him as an extraordinary 
leader in the eyes of the international community and his fellow South 
Africans. Mr. Mandela was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, 
and he accepted the award on behalf of all South Africans who had made 
tremendous sacrifices in the name of peace and liberty. The following 
year, he was elected President of South Africa in the first fully 
representative democratic election, defeating apartheid rule.
  Even after stepping down from the South African presidency, Mr. 
Mandela's commitment to service did not waiver. Mr. Mandela has since 
founded three foundations: The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, the 
Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, and the Mandela-Rhodes Foundation. I am 
truly inspired by Mr. Mandela's tireless work and continued advocacy.
  In 2009, July 18 was adopted by the United Nations as Nelson Mandela 
International Day of Service. Mr. Mandela gave 67 years of his life to 
the fight for human rights, and people all over the world are asked to 
spend Mandela Day giving 67 minutes of their time to serve their local 
communities and charities.
  Mr. Speaker, apartheid has ended, but struggles for peace and human 
dignity persist in all corners of the world. I remember one passage 
that Mr. Mandela wrote: ``After climbing a great hill, one only finds 
that there are many more hills to climb.'' With this sentiment in mind, 
I ask my colleagues and fellow Americans to join me in observing 
Mandela Day and continuing Mr. Mandela's legacy in our own communities.

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