Nelson Mandela addresses the UN General Assembly. September 2004 UN Honors Nelson Mandela Human Rights
An informal meeting of the General Assembly was held at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday on the occasion of Nelson Mandela International Day, which is celebrated on July 18.
At the informal meeting, speeches were made by the Chairman of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, the First Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Amina Mohammed, as well as representatives of regional associations of member countries of the United Nations.
The UN Secretary-General, in his message, also timed to coincide with Mandela Day, called on everyone to devote 67 minutes to public service – one minute for each year the South African human rights activist dedicated to the fight for justice.
Nelson Mandela, who became a living banner of the struggle against apartheid, was sentenced to life imprisonment and spent 27 years in prison. After his release in 1990, he became South Africa’s first democratically elected president.
Nelson Mandela showed us what an extraordinary role one person can play in building a better world
“Nelson Mandela showed us what an extraordinary role one person can play in building a better world,” António Guterres said in a message. “Our world is unequal and divided. Hunger and poverty are widespread. The richest one percent of the world’s population emits as much planet-destroying greenhouse gases as two-thirds of humanity combined.”
These circumstances are the result of choices made by humanity, the UN chief stressed, but the international community can act differently.
“We can choose to end poverty,” said Antonio Guterres. “We can choose to end inequality. We can choose to fight racism, respect human rights, combat climate change, and create a world fit for all people. Each of us can do our part, in big and small ways.”