Mandela Day, or the Nelson Mandela International Day, is
observed on July 18 every year to mark the birth anniversary of anti-apartheid
revolutionary and former and the first Black President of South Africa Nelson
Mandela.

First celebrated in 2010 after the United Nations officially
declared the day in 2009, the day is spent reflecting on Mandela’s philosophy of
social change. Many take up volunteer work to mark the day.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres, in his message for the
day, said, “Each year, on this day, Nelson Mandela’s birthday, we pay tribute
to this extraordinary man who embodied the highest aspirations of the United
Nations and the human family.”

The theme for this year’s Mandela Day is ‘One Hand Can Feed
Another’ with a focus on hunger and the importance of sharing one’s resources amid
a global pandemic that has left millions in poverty.

Mandela Day sees discussions around peace, security and
well-being of nations. The day is of immense significance in calendars of
organisations working on building opposition to crimes against women, genocide
and other issues around social justice.

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In 2015, the UN General Assembly extended the scope of
Mandela Day. The UN adopted the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners and approved that they be known as Nelson Mandela Rules.

The Mandela Rules promote humane conditions of imprisonment,
raise awareness about the need to ensure prisoners remain part of society, and
to value the work of prison staff as a social service of particular importance,
according to the UN website.   

South Africa’s first Black President, Nelson Mandela, was
among the greatest political figures of the 20th Century. He took over the
reins of South Africa after spending 27 years in prison. Mandela was one of the
foundational leaders of South Africa’s fight against apartheid.

This Mandela Day comes at a time of immense political
violence and social unrest in South Africa. Protests broke out across the
country after the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma. Looters have plundered
businesses, pharmacies and in one case even a blood bank.