To the contrary, he became a symbol of decency and reconciliation in the last three decades of his life, literally stretching his hand out across that bleak terrain known as apartheid to clasp the hand of the last white president of that now unthinkable, almost inconceivable social system that Mandela had devoted a lifetime to overthrow.” Born in 1918 in the village of Mvezo, Mandela was given the forename, Rolihlahla, or “troublemaker.” He lived up to this name as an undergraduate student at the University of Fort Hare, where he was suspended for joining a protest boycott. As Professor Emeritus Abdallah Schleifer noted in his column “Nelson Mandela: The Last Giant of Our Times is Gone," published in Al Arabiya, “Nelson Mandela lived long –– for 95 years –– and was neither tyrannical nor corrupt. As the first black South African to serve as the country’s president, Mandela spent his years in office (1994 – 1997) transforming South Africa by breaking down racial barriers and promoting reconciliation. In 1993, Mandela received the Nobel Peace Prize to honor his activism. He exercised leadership for reconciliation and coalition building to build a strong South Africa.” “He scored a huge plus for humanity, but for an Arab world in the painful pangs of transition, Mandela's example shows a way out. “Mandela is a global icon because he stood up to a primitive savage system, paid dearly for it - not least his 27 years in prison - and won,” said Bahgat Korany, political science professor and director of AUC Forum. His lifelong struggle and commitment to peaceful activism serve as an example for Egypt and the Arab world, particularly during this time of transformation. The late Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist, has left a legacy of peace and justice, having spent 27 years in prison for his anti-apartheid activities and dedicating his life to guaranteeing civil rights for black South Africans who had long faced oppression at the hands of a white minority.
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