By Gary Raynaldo 

NEW YORK – A statute of anti-apartheid South Africa hero Nelson Mandela was unveiled at the United Nations Sep. 24, 2018.  The statue was exhibited during 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa was on hand to personally bare Mandela’s statute before the world.

“President Mandela firmly believed that the United Nations was the most valuable and effective instrument for the advancement of peace, development and equality that humanity conceived. We trust that this statue will remain a constant affirmation of South Africa’s commitment to a better world for all,” Ramaphosa said.

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly stated:

“This morning, it is an honor and a privilege to be with you for the official unveiling of the statue of Nelson Mandela. I thank President Ramaphosa and the Government and people of South Africa for this symbolic honor for a man whose life and sacrifice set an example of honor for the whole world. The legacy of Mandela, borne out of the struggle against Apartheid, grew to encompass not only the rights of the people of South Africa but the sheer necessity and universality of human rights for all. His is a legacy of perseverance, of dedication, and of unwavering commitment to the dignity of people. The statue that we unveil today is not done in mourning for his passing, as so many monuments are, but is done in celebration and in deep respect and gratitude. This statue will stand as testament to Mandela and, by extension, to the values that he so fiercely defended and fought for: for racial equality, for non-discrimination, and for the incredible value and dignity of human life.”

The statue of Mandela with his outstretched arms will be permanently located in the UN visitors’ center as a permanent reminder of South Africa’s liberation icon.