 |
| Commonwealth's Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma. Photo by:CW Website |
This is the full text of Commonwealth's statement by the organization's Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma, on the death of South
Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela on Thursday 5th December
2013:
Nelson Mandela was an inspirational Commonwealth leader of the
twentieth century. He was a titan of our age. He became the embodiment
of nobility and reconciliation in politics and statesmanship. His
significance as an exemplar to the world of ethical political engagement
will stand for posterity.
Nelson Mandela knew neither fear nor hate. The Commonwealth is proud
to have played a historic role in the demise of apartheid. When
walking into the waiting arms of history, he visited Marlborough House
first upon arrival in London, and famously said, ‘The Commonwealth makes
the world safe for diversity’.
It was our privilege to work alongside Nelson Mandela in striving
for safer and fairer lives for Commonwealth citizens in Africa, and a
dignified future for our people around the globe.
Despite the adulation he received, Nelson Mandela set the highest
example of the democratic spirit in action by leaving office at the end
of his presidential term and welcoming his democratically elected
successor.
In the life he lived and the choices he made, this extraordinary man
left lessons for us all. He shaped history, but his quiet dignity, his
wisdom and his wit endeared him to millions worldwide.
While Madiba’s death brings deep sorrow across the world, we also
celebrate his long and momentous life. South Africa, Africa, the
Commonwealth, and the world are today enriched by it.
His visionary leadership, and his generosity of spirit, will remain
an inspiration as South Africa continues its journey along the
Commonwealth paths of diversity, development and democracy. Let our
meditations on his life and legacy move us to action, and may each of
us, in some measure, aspire to follow in his footsteps.
On behalf of the entire Commonwealth family, I convey our deepest
condolences to Mr Mandela's wife Graça and his entire family. We stand
together with the people of South Africa at this time of national
mourning.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 |
| EU's High Representative Katherine Ashton. Photo by: EU Website |
This is the full text of European Union's statement by the organization's High Representative Katherine Ashton, on the death of South
Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela on Thursday 5th December
2013:
More than anyone else, Nelson Mandela inspired my generation and our world.
Today we grieve his death but also celebrate his life. He not only defeated apartheid in South Africa; he showed people in every continent that the moral force of democracy could overcome the barren might of tyranny. Each time I met him, his gentle strength and undimmed passion confirmed my conviction that democrats everywhere owe him a vast and lasting debt.
No comments: