NOMINEE: Nelson Mandela
NOMINATED BY: Kofi A. Annan,
Secretary-General, U.N.
At the end of the 20th century, the life of Nelson
Mandela stands out as one of unparalleled political courage and
personal dignity in the fight against one of this century's great
evils. By overcoming the evil of racial discrimination in one
nation, Mandela set an example of hope and persistence for all of
the united nations.
Mandela's refusal to compromise his beliefs during the long years
of his imprisonment, his insistence that racial equality become a
reality for all South Africans, his determination to pursue truth
and lasting reconciliation upon his release and his election as
the President of South Africa serve as vivid and universal
lessons in the ability of mankind to create what Mandela, 35
years ago in a Pretoria courtroom, called his cherished ideal of
"a democratic and free society in which all persons live together
in harmony and with equal opportunities."
--Kofi A. Annan,
Secretary-General, U.N.
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