What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.
Nelson Mandela
#Livingthelegacy
As the stories would have it, at the end of each, the villain is usually defeated by a collective group – with infinite differences-that have come together, united against the villain. However, this is not just a good ending for a story; it is a representation of how true, meaningful change, comes about- like the change brought about by Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo and other great struggle heroes in Africa and around the world.
It takes a collective group of individuals to bring about this great change.
It is a well-known fact that Nelson Mandela spent 67 years fighting for freedom, and that is why during Mandela Day people are encouraged to spend 67 minutes, taking action, and doing something for their community in order to help someone else. Over the years Nelson Mandela Day has grown into a global trend.
But Mandela Day is about more than just 67 minutes of your time or a hashtag. It is also a symbol of what people can do when working together as one – encapsulating the famous phrase, “united we stand, but divided we fall.” Too often people around the globe participate in Mandela Day on the 18th July, but quickly forget about the occasion’s deeper meaning; the next day. This is why we should make Mandela Day more memorable so that people don’t forget about it. Imagine a world where a large percentage of the population participated on Mandela Day and the change it would create. To do that you do not need to be in a specific place, you can do it anywhere in the world.
There are various ways in which an individual can play a role during Mandela Day by taking 67 minutes of your time to work towards coming up with solutions to a problem faced by your community such as approaching community leaders to talk about security, or raising awareness about a certain topic. You can start by taking action here.
As the youth, political leaders and all my friends let us all rally together and make Mandela Day memorable.
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This article was written by Lethukuthula Sibuso Mohlwayo. Lethu is currently studying Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Witwatersarand. He likes to watch series and read as well as playing chess. He likes realistic things such as nonfiction books.
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**This article was contributed by a guest blogger. This blog entry does not necessarily represent the position or opinion of Amnesty International South Africa.
