"Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again." Nelson Mandela

He won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1993, along with South Africa's president at the time, F.W. de Klerk, for having led the transition from apartheid to a multiracial democracy. Mandela is also known for being the first black president of South Africa, serving from 1994 to 1999.

Known and loved around the world for his commitment to peace, negotiation and reconciliation, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was South Africa's first democratically elected president (1994-1999). Mandela was an anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader, as well as a philanthropist with an abiding love for children.

 Nelson Mandela's writings included I Am Prepared to Die, No Easy Walk to Freedom; The Struggle Is My Life. 

 Long Walk to Freedom is his moving and exhilarating autobiography, destined to take its place among the finest memoirs of history's greatest figures. Here for the first time, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela told the extraordinary story of his life -- an epic of struggle, setback, renewed hope, and ultimate triumph.

The book is an autobiography. It follows Mandela's life growing up in apartheid South Africa and fighting against this regime. Two key themes in Long Walk to Freedom are racial inequality and unity. Today, Mandela is remembered as a key anti-racist figure of the twentieth century.

Here Mandela, a South African freedom fighter and a political prisoner for 27 years tells his own saga of how he helped his black countrymen throw off their apartheid chains, how the African National Congress waged and won its struggle, and how he became his nation's first black president.

The central theme of "Long Walk to Freedom" revolves around the relentless pursuit of freedom, justice, and equality. Nelson Mandela's life is a testament to the power of perseverance and the determination to challenge oppressive systems.

The book highlights the importance of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity, making it a powerful source of motivation. Through Mandela's captivating storytelling, readers gain insight into the human spirit and the transformative power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

The brave man is not the one who does not feel afraid, but he is the one who conquers that fear. Mandela said that every man has his duties toward his country and community too.

Desmond Tutu called Nelson Mandela a moral colossus and a global icon of forgiveness and reconciliation. Mandela taught us that change is almost always possible, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, when gutsy leaders stand together, question the unquestionable, and challenge the status quo.

Let us read his books, remember his teachings, and salute the great soul on this day.