Commemorating Nelson Mandela.

We live in a world of “Black Lives Matter” versus “All Lives Matter”; a world with controversies between the rich and the poor; a world filled with long barriers separating people and harming the peace among them; a world where issues like discrimination, racism, inequality and injustice have been for many long eras. And it is truly sad to understand that these issues have not yet been completely erased.

People have different opinions and notions regarding these issues. Before addressing these issues it is important for us to understand the proper meaning of these issues. While understanding these issues, many questions might arise in our minds- how can we tell whether someone is discriminating against the other, whether we have discriminated against someone without even realizing it and many other such questions.

After we understand these issues, it is the time that we give our contribution towards fighting them. And truly, at some point of time in each of our lives, we might have been discriminated against for some reason or the other. An experience not so pleasant for many of us. There are thousands of people in this world who have experienced worse situations concerning issues which we can never even imagine. Therefore, we need to fight them together and inspire others by doing so and making a change in the society.

When we discriminate against a person, we take away their smiles and their happiness. A race, a colour, a gender or a community should never become a factor of hatred among people. This malice create barriers among ourselves. And we don’t want these barriers because at the end of the day, it’s all about how much better the world can be for all of us.

Nelson Mandela once said,

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

In his legendary speech delivered at the Rivonia Trial in South Africa in 1964, Nelson Mandela said ,

“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realised. But, My Lord, if it needs to be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die”.

His mission as an anti-apartheid revolutionary was to establish equality and freedom for all men, women and children. He stood for the fundamental rights of all human beings, regardless of gender, nationality or race. This was, in fact, the very ideal for which Nelson Mandela was jailed for 27 years.

However, the ideal for which he fought for has not yet been achieved. Unfortunately, the society we live in today is not immune to discrimination, whether it is based on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability etc. Acts of discrimination such as these are deeply rooted in our society, with fear and ignorance being its primary foundations. It alters one’s perspective on someone who’s ‘different’, causing them to have prejudice against the minorities. Inevitably, the harsh mentality of segregation and partiality will spread among groups of people and pass down from generation to generation. Nevertheless, it is up to us, who desire to see and live in a bigotry-free world, to stand against discrimination of any kind.

There are things we can do, as individuals, to fight for the ideal that the late Nelson Mandela cherished and enable our children to grow in a world with lesser discrimination compared to our current times and the days of our ancestors:

• Educate yourself: Listen to the stories and put yourselves in the shoes of various people who have gone through the harsh treatments by the society. Tune into various podcasts, books and documentaries that tackle issues such as racism, discrimination, and privilege.

• Raise Awareness: Share informatory resources with your family and friends to educate them about topics like colorism, racism, sexism etc.

• Challenge everyday discrimination: If you witness someone being bullied, stand up in support for that person and discourage that act. Set a good example for others to follow.

“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.”

Do not let harmful and derogatory stereotypes bring you down but rather use it to remind yourself what you and many other people around the world are fighting for. Break the cycle of discrimination which has been oppressing minorities for centuries. These conflicts should be resolved with love and understanding; discrimination cannot be removed with the use of harsh actions or cruel words, but with patience and decency.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Let us just embrace this beautiful quote and light up the essence of Mandela Day which is to take action, inspire change and most importantly to make the world a better place to live. Let’s join hands and strive to build a future for our children that is free from intolerance and partiality.

This article was penned by Festember Social Responsibility Team to honour the great legacy of Nelson Mandela.
Authors : K V Swetha Abey Stephen and Sayani Halder