Remembering Mandela

by Li Dongzheng
(Chofu, Japan)

Recently, a familiar name but bad news came to our ears. Former South African President Nelson Mandela has died at the age of 95. People around the world are mourning the loss of the country's first black president. To be frank, I just heard of the name before, but I did not know much about this person. While after surfing the Internet, I can feel the pain of the loss of this great person.

To many, Mandela was a hero, a man of courage, conviction, and vision. He was often called humble, charming, loyal and a man who cared about others. Mandela devoted himself mainly to rallying the Africans to this new era to work on economic development and having a good education. Also, he was very much of a spokesman on the international scene.

During his presidency, Mandela was criticized for not confronting South Africa's AIDS epidemic. However, in his later years, he became a public advocate in the fight against AIDS. "Together we can fight AIDS and ensure a more secure future for everyone," he said. He also continued his work as an advocate for children's rights.

After knowing about all the events that he did, I have to say, in a country torn apart by years of racial conflict, Nelson Mandela is considered a remarkable leader - a man who turned South Africa away from violence and hatred into a country of greater peace and understanding.