July 18 is Nelson Mandela Day. He spent 27 years in prison and said:
“No one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”
Nelson Mandela remains a symbol of power by resisting oppression. In times of turbulence, Mandela’s legacy teaches everyone to choose dignity over humiliation, speak up during injustice, and forgive rather than hate. He once said, “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
The Rules adopted in his name have become the worldwide blueprint for Governments to prove their performance. That the Rules have been so broadly embraced is reason for hope. But practically realizing Mandela’s noble vision, and the spirit and letter of the Rules, will take courage, commitment and every form of encouragement to Governments.