Today Marks 105th Birth Anniv. of Nelson Mandela

Today, July 18, marks the 105th birth anniversary of the legendary South African leader Nelson Mandela, who passed away on 5 December 2013.

To celebrate his birthday anniversary, the UN is organizing music concerts and art exhibitions accross the world that shed light on the achievements and legacy of the anti-apartheid leader.

The event aims to inspire individuals to take action and make a positive impact on their communities and the world.

Born in 1918 in Mvezo village, Cape Province, Mandela is widely regarded as the popular icon of social justice and democracy.

Throughout his life, he inspired generations to think of united Africa and struggle for it peacefully.

To him, South Africa did not only mean “Tackling institutionalized racism” but it encompassed all spheres of life.

His struggle with the authorities in South Africa, where he was born and grown-up, and the racial biases he and other Black Africans were subjected to brought a considerable change in him. This paved the way for him to become a national leader.

In 1952 in Johannesburg, Mandela alongside his colleague ANC leader Oliver Tambo, established South Africa’s first Black law practice, specializing in cases resulting from the post-1948 apartheid legislation.

At that time, Mandela played a vital role in launching a persuasive campaign of defiance against South Africa’s pass laws, which required nonwhites to carry documents (known as passes, passbooks, or reference books) authorizing their presence in areas that the government deemed “restricted” (i.e., generally reserved for the white population).

Mandela received over 250 awards, accolades, prizes, honorary degrees and citizenships in recognition of his political achievements. Among his prestigious awards were the Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom,the Soviet Union's Lenin Peace Prize,and the Libyan Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights.