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Racial discrimination became a way of life, but it led to serious social and political problems, including violence, poverty, and above all, injustice. As this system violated basic human rights, not only legally but also from a purely moral, human point of view, the local population began a movement towards democracy.

One of the leading figures in this process was Nelson Mandela. He was born in 1918 in South Africa. He studied law and joined the African National Congress (ANC), the leading organization in the fight against apartheid.
In 1962, after years of struggle, Mandela was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment for his efforts to achieve freedom and equality. In 1990, after many years in prison, he was released, and in 1994, he became South Africa’s first black president, promising the nation peace, unity, and an end to divisions.

Nelson Mandela began his education in the small village of Mvezo in South Africa, where he studied under the local chief. Later, he continued his education at the Prince’s Far East Academy, where he studied English, history, and geography. Mandela then began his legal education at Fort Hare University, but interrupted his studies after protesting against the university policy and continued his studies through distance learning. He finally graduated with a law degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1942.

 

His education was reflected in his oratory skills, which were a key diplomatic tool for Mandela. His speeches reflected not only his determination but also his commitment to achieving justice and freedom for all. Among his most famous speeches was his three-hour speech from the dock. Despite the impact he made, he was not released from his sentence.
This only happened 27 years later, due to public pressure. He then began to participate in peace negotiations in Congo, Burundi, and a number of other countries in conflict in Africa. Thus, in 1993, Mandela received the Nobel Peace Prize, as well as 250 other awards, including the Order of Stara Planina, the Sakharov Prize, the UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize, and others.

He is the author of books, for example “There Is No Easy Walk to Freedom“. His greatest achievement is that he became the first black president elected in fully representative elections.
One of Mandela’s most famous quotes is: “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” This principle is a fundamental element of his philosophy of transforming society through education.
In another speech from 1994, he mainly expresses gratitude for what has been achieved:

“The time has come to heal the wounds. The moment has come to overcome the chasms that divide us.
The time for building lies ahead of us. We have finally achieved our political emancipation. We are committed to freeing all our people from the continuing slavery of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination.”

The rhetorical device he uses here is the principle of repetition, which emphasizes what he desires. In this case, it is hope for the future, as his plans are more ambitious than they appear. Nelson Mandela describes the reasons behind his actions with humanity and patriotism: “Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the humiliation of being the skunk of the world.”
He also expressed his goals for the future in an address to the United Nations in 1990: “The distance we have to travel is not long. Let us travel it together. Let us, through our joint actions, defend the goals for which this organization was created and create a situation in which its Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will become part of the legislative system on which the political and social order of the new South Africa will be based. Our common victory is assured.” Here he refers to the common efforts of a united nation, which is his dream and the reason for his struggle;

Nelson Mandela was an extraordinary speaker with a unique ability to take complex ideas about justice, equality, and reconciliation and present them in a way that was clear and meaningful to everyone. Mandela spoke with a calm but strong presence, using pauses and tone to make his words more powerful and memorable. What made him truly inspiring was that his speeches came from experience – his years fighting apartheid, his long imprisonment, and his commitment to forgiveness gave his words authenticity and weight. More than just informing or persuading, Mandela’s speeches motivated people to hope, act, and believe in a fairer, united world.

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