As celebrities walked the Red Carpet last night for the Royal Film Premiere of ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’ the movie itself dramatically portrayed a half-finished journey of the great man himself.
During the movie the death of Nelson Mandela was announced to the world. He was 95.
Born on July 18, 1918 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was renowned for being the President of the African National Congress (ANC) throughout the nineties, towards the end of the decade he achieved the title of the Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement. Both of these milestones followed a twenty-seven year imprisonment service in 1962 where the leader was arrested on grounds he was attempting to overthrow the government for his association with the South African Communist Party.
His life sentence split opinions around the globe, whilst some such as ex-leader of the Conservative Party Margaret Thatcher branded him a terrorist thousands of others appealed for his release which eventually came in 1990.
The previous hundred and seven words echo Mandela’s living years which many of us are fully aware of and we guess today and over the next week or so his historic journey will be documented in much greater detail, although his commitment to those with disabilities may be shadowed by movements he backed for a far greater population.
If so, that will be a great shame as it was Mandela who made the inspiring quote, “Disabled children are equally entitled to an exciting and brilliant future.” Almost nineteen exact years ago today during the First Annual South African Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp in Johannesburg, South Africa on 4 December 1994.
Ten years later Mandela joined political leaders Michael Howard, Charles Kennedy, Hywel Williams and Tony Blair supporting the Time To Get Equal campaign launched by Scope in 2004. The appeal called for people to sign a Pledge supporting those with disabilities to live in an equality world. Mandela made another of his famous speeches reflecting Scope’s goal which closed with the uplifting, motivating words “…legislation and regulations are not sufficient or the end of the long walk to equality and non-discrimination [for disabled people]…”
Of course, no words can capture Mandela’s commitment to people with disabilities and signing off the short tribute with an assortment of letters attempting to do so would be a discredit to the man. So, allow us to leave you with the image below, a photo taken on July 19, 1996 at Mandela’s seventy eighth birthday which he celebrated in the company of 2,000 children with disabilities. Which other world leader would share such an anniversary with those fighting mental and physical challenges?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULBpl8sN9NQ]
Source: Able2UK
