Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

Our hero is Nelson Mandela, we chose him as our hero because he did a lot of things to liberate his country and because he got the position of president of South Africa. For us, he has influenced our daily life by not giving up, facing the obstacles and overcoming them.

He became a lawyer and worked very hard to free his people. He was convicted of trying to overthrow the government, he spent 26 years in jail. After he was released from prison he assumed the position of leader of black South Africa's fight for freedom. He lived in Qunu located in the Transkei territory of South Africa.

He became the president of South Africa on April 1994. The majority of the votes were for him and for the ANC. He was the first black president of South Africa. Many artists wrote songs to Nelson Mandela, the most popular of them is "Free Nelson Mandela" from The Specials.

People celebrated Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday by organizing a tribute at London's Wembley Stadium. Also a movie told his life in the prision named "Mandela and De Klerk". In 2003 Mandela criticized George W. Bush's government and policy in a number of speeches againts the invasion that USA planned to attack Iraq.

Mandela has received many South African and international honours, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, the Order of Merit and Order of St. John from the Queen Elizabeth II and from George W. Bush the Presidential Medal Of Freedom.