Madiba addresses the crowd at the 46664 concert in Hyde Park, London
Oct 31, 2008 – As we near the end of 2008 and the celebrations for Mr Mandela’s 90th birthday have begun to abate, we look back at his words of wisdom presented at various occasions in his honour.
Mr Mandela is fully retired and he seldom makes speeches. However, in this very special year, he chose to address a range of issues. This retrospective includes, in alphabetical order, speeches made at: an ANC birthday rally in Tshwane; the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Annual Lecture in Kliptown, Soweto; a children’s celebration in Johannesburg; a fundraising dinner in London for the 46664 HIV/AIDS awareness campaign; and at the 46664 concert, also in London.
As he now settles down to spend more and more time with family and friends, the Nelson Mandela Foundation offers these selected pronouncements for all of us to reflect on.
In brief:
“Let no individual, section, faction or group ever regard itself as greater than the organisation and the common good of all our people.” – ANC rally
“A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of.” – Annual Lecture
“To the youth of today, I also have a wish to make: Be the script writers of your destiny and feature yourselves as the stars that showed the way towards a brighter future.” – Children’s celebration
“Where there is poverty and sickness, including AIDS, where human beings are being oppressed, there is more work to be done. Our work is for freedom for all. We say tonight, after nearly 90 years of life, it is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now, I thank you.” – 46664 concert
“It is now in the hands of your generations to help rid the world of such suffering.” – 46664 fund-raising dinner
The full speeches below:
ANC rally to celebrate his 90th birthday
Aug 5, 2008 – President of the African National Congress, Comrade Jacob Zuma
President of the Republic of South Africa, Comrade Thabo Mbeki
Leadership of the ANC and of Government
Members, Comrades, Compatriots, Friends
I thank the ANC for organising this rally to celebrate our 90th birthday. I would be nothing without the ANC. The struggle had been my life and the ANC led that struggle.
I thank the ANC for having given meaning to my 90 years on this planet, in this country we all love so dearly. And I ask you today: do not celebrate an individual. Celebrate the achievements and reaffirm the values of a great organisation, one that has led for almost a hundred years.
Celebrate and reaffirm the principle of collective leadership and inclusiveness. Let no individual, section, faction or group ever regard itself as greater than the organisation and the common good of all our people.
Celebrate the promotion of unity – within the organisation, amongst our allies, in the nation at large and amongst all our people. Our nation comes from a history of deep division and strife; let us never through our deeds or words take our people back down that road.
Celebrate our tradition of open debate, criticism, discussion and respect for democracy. We fought hard and sacrificed much for this democracy. Protect, defend, consolidate and advance democracy – within the organisation and in national life. Let us give the lead in demonstrating our respect for the institutions of our democracy - both in our actions and words.
Celebrate and reaffirm our fundamental commitment to creating a better life for all, particularly the poor and marginalised. Poverty and deprivation in our midst demean all of us. Let us mobilise in one great co-operative national effort the enormous energy of our society in order to overcome and eliminate poverty. We came together as a nation to end the scourge of apartheid. Today we are challenged to end poverty and all its attendant suffering.
Celebrate the nobility of our ideals of creating a non-racial and non-sexist society. Let us redouble our efforts to fully realise the ideal of a democratic state and society that secures to all their birthright without distinction of colour, race, sex or belief. Let us live that non-racialism and non-sexism in our every day, deed and word.
You are the inheritors of a great organisation, one that has led for almost a century. It is now in your hands to uphold the best and the noblest of that history.
Now – as much as ever in our history – we require disciplined leaders and members with respect for their organisation, who care equally for all South Africans and for all people who live within our borders. Let there be peace and friendship.
I wish you well. I thank you once more.
Nkosi Sikilel’ iAfrika.
To read the news story on this site about the event where this speech was given, click here.
Annual Lecture – Kliptown, Soweto
July 12, 2008 – President Johnson-Sirleaf, distinguished guests, friends, ladies and gentlemen.
We have for years remarked about people coming to such events primarily to see what an old man looks like. To see a ninety-year-old in real life must surely be an irresistible temptation! But thank you very much for being here. Your warmth and friendship are much appreciated. We feel privileged to celebrate with so many friends and well wishers.
As the years progress one increasingly realises the importance of friendship and human solidarity. And if a ninety-year-old may offer some unsolicited advice on this occasion, it would be that you, irrespective of your age, should place human solidarity, the concern for the other, at the centre of the values by which you live.
There is still too much discord, hatred, division, conflict and violence in our world here at the beginning of the twenty-first century. A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of.
I thank you once more for honouring an old man with your presence.
And I thank particularly President Johnson-Sirleaf for agreeing to deliver this lecture. You are an inspiring example to Africa and the world as one who strives for peace where others seek to fight and destroy. It is so easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build.
We salute you for your courageous example.
I thank you.
To read the news story on this site about the event where this speech was given, click here.
Children’s party with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund
July 9, 2008 – I am particularly humbled and proud that the Children’s Fund has reached the success that it is today. The children have equally seen it fit to grace me with the title of being ‘The Children’s Champion’. The display of leadership by our youth today gives me the comfort that not all is lost.
To the youth of today, I also have a wish to make: Be the script writers of your destiny and feature yourselves as the stars that showed the way towards a brighter future.
46664 concert
June 28, 2008 – Friends, 20 years ago London hosted a historic concert which called for our freedom. Your voices carried across the water to inspire us in our prison cells far away. Tonight, we are free. We are honoured to be back in London.
As we celebrate, let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete. Where there is poverty and sickness, including AIDS, where human beings are being oppressed, there is more work to be done. Our work is for freedom for all ... We say tonight, after nearly 90 years of life, it is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now, I thank you.
To read the news story on this site about the event where this speech was given, click here.
46664 fund-raising dinner
June 26, 2008 – Friends, thank you for joining us here this evening, and your support for our causes.
It is a great privilege having been able to travel here in our 90th year and be in the presence of so many good friends. Thank you for the continuing support in the fight against the terrible scourge of HIV and AIDS. You understand that it is in your hands to make a difference.
The world remains beset by so much human suffering, poverty and deprivation. It is in your hands to make of our world a better one for all, especially the poor, vulnerable and marginalised.
We look back at much human progress, but we sadly note so much failing as well. In our time we spoke out on the situation in Palestine and Israel, and that conflict continues unabated. We warned against the invasion of Iraq, and observe the terrible suffering in that country.
We watch with sadness the continuing tragedy in Darfur. Nearer to home we had seen the outbreak of violence against fellow Africans in our own country and the tragic failure of leadership in our neighbouring Zimbabwe.
It is within this context that we should also see the plight of those affected by HIV and AIDS.
It is now in the hands of your generations to help rid the world of such suffering.
I thank you.
To read the news story on this site about the event where this speech was given, click here.