//FREE\\ Download Nelson Mandela Video Speech
Jasmine Chism
His anti-apartheid activism never faltered: He delivered speeches, wrote letters while imprisoned and, after his release, negotiated with South African government officials to end apartheid in the 1990s.
As part of the ANC, Mandela has led protests and workers strikes, and now he's on trial. Mandela stands before the Supreme Court of South Africa during the Rivonia Trial and delivers an impassioned speech about a brutal system of legalized racism that's tearing his country apart.
On Feb. 11, 1990, in Cape Town, South Africa, Mandela delivers his first public speech since his release from prison. Behind him is his then-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Walter Dhladhla/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
"I Am Prepared to Die" is the name given[1] to the three-hour speech given by Nelson Mandela on 20 April 1964 from the dock of the defendant at the Rivonia Trial. The speech is so titled because it ends with the words "it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die". The speech is considered one of the great speeches of the 20th century, and a key moment in the history of South African democracy.[2][3]
Before the trial, Mandela and the other defendants decided that instead of testifying as witnesses and submitting to cross-examination he would make a speech from the dock to put the state on trial, by pointing out the injustices of the South African society and its legal system. They also sought to show the political and moral programme of the ANC.[7]
Mandela worked on the speech for weeks before the trial, receiving help in editing and polishing it from author Nadine Gordimer and journalist Anthony Sampson.[8] In writing the speech, Mandela was inspired by Fidel Castro's famous "History Will Absolve Me" defence speech. He was particularly interested in making the speech appeal to an international audience, inspiring international support for the ANC cause.[9]
The prosecutor Percy Yutar made a surprise objection when the defense announced that Mandela would start by giving a speech instead of facing a more conventional cross-examination: "My Lord, My Lord, I think you should warn the accused that what he said from the dock has far less weight than if he submitted himself to cross-examination."[10] Judge de Wet over-ruled the objection saying, "I think Mr. Yutar, that counsel for the defence have sufficient experience to be able to advise their clients without your assistance." Bram Fischer the main defense lawyer added "Neither we, nor our clients are unaware of the provisions of the Criminal Code", thus subtly pointing out the fact that Mandela was himself a lawyer with experience in criminal trials.[11] Since in South African law, a defendant may not address the court from the witness stand but only answer questions, Mandela gave the speech from the defendant's dock. He spoke for some three hours before he concluded with the often-quoted "I am prepared to die".
The speech describes why the ANC had decided to go beyond its previous use of constitutional methods and Gandhian non-violent resistance and adopt sabotage against property (designed to minimize risks of injury and death) as a part of their activism against the South African government and its apartheid policies (while also training a military wing for possible future use).
Mandela's friends Anthony Sampson and Nadine Gordimer, who had both participated in reviewing the speech as written by Mandela,[14] had contrasting reactions to its delivery. Sampson described it as the most effective speech of his career, whereas Gordimer thought the delivery to be "hesitant, parsonical" until "only at the end did the man come through and when he had spoken that last sentence the strangest and most moving sound I have ever heard from human throats, came from the 'black' side of the court audience" .[10]
At the end of the trial, Mandela was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. He served 27 years of the sentence before he was released and elected President of South Africa. Upon his release he quoted the last sentence of his speech to the awaiting press.[15] Mandela believed that the reason Judge de Wet had not sentenced him to death was that in his speech, Mandela had "dared him to do so".[13][16]
On 6 April 2000, Nelson Mandela delivered a speech entitled Africa and Its Position in the World Today at LSE. The full transcript of this speech is below. You can also follow this link to watch a video of his speech.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (3rd R, front) addresses a meeting of the UN General Assembly on the observance of the annual Nelson Mandela International Day, at the UN headquarters in New York, July 18, 2019. The leadership of the UN on Thursday called for actions on hate speech on the occasion of the Nelson Mandela International Day. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a similar call in his statement. "Madiba's call for social cohesion and a culture of peace are particularly relevant today, with hate speech casting a growing shadow around the world."
The UN chief said that the strategy and plan of action on hate speech he has launched last month is to identify, prevent and confront this "shameful phenomenon", which is progressively infecting mainstream discourse.
Like much of the world, South Asia is no stranger to the dangers of rising intolerance and hatred. Across South Asia, more than one million people have been forced to flee their homes, a situation aggravated by hate speech in both the host countries and the countries of origin. Societies continue to struggle to build bridges between different communities and heal tensions. In Sri Lanka, 70% of the youth do not have a friend outside of their ethnicity or religion, according to the youth led peace building movement Sri Lanka Unites (SLU).
As the world commemorates Nelson Mandela (South African anti-apartheid activist and former President) International Day, we are reminded of the enduring legacy of a leader who championed dialogue, reconciliation, and the dismantling of barriers. Mandela's unwavering commitment to dialogue as a tool for change resonates deeply in a time when hate speech and division threaten the fabric of our societies. In the spirit of Mandela's vision, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) reiterates that fostering intercultural dialogue is not only a necessity but a powerful means to heal, bridge divides, and build a brighter future for all.
Nelson Mandela, who now, in 1994, was president of the newly formed South African government under a new constitution, faced a seminal moment in the history of his country. His people looked to him to guide them into a new and better era for South Africa which would be the focus of his speech; unity, democracy, and change. This intention can be seen in his opening statement:
In this speech, Mandela outlined his goals for the country's future. He intends to run a government that will ensure and protect democracy, work for the benefit of all, create jobs, and addresses the needs of disadvantaged communities. To accomplish any of this, however, Mandela stresses the importance of unity. He says,
Despite the end of Apartheid, South Africa was still a divided nation. Mandela continuously, throughout his speech, emphasizes the need to come together and heal together so that they build a society that works for all South Africans. Mandela is intentional in his speech in how he crafts his message. He both wants to encourage the black majority. Still, he does not wish to alienate the white minority, which is why he explicitly highlights that democracy is a system that works for all people. While the will of the majority defines it, it also includes safeguards to protect the rights of the minority. In this, he is trying to bring everyone together behind the new future Mandela hopes to build.
In the beginning of his speech, Nelson Mandela talks about the unification of South Africa, stating 'The South Africa we have struggled for, in which all our people, be they African, Coloured, Indian, or White, regard themselves as citizens of one nation is at hand.' South Africa, previously, had been divided by apartheid, so that the majority groups of people were oppressed by the white minority. This was the result of the colonization of South Africa by people of European descent over three centuries before.
The need for change is a recurring theme in Mandela's inaugural speech. In addition to changing the manner with which the government operates, Mandela asserts that the people of South Africa have 'mandated us to change South Africa from a country in which the vast majority lived with little hope, to one in which they can live and work with dignity, with a sense of self-esteem and confidence in the future.' This is different from the reality in which South Africans had been living, as apartheid had affected every aspect of everyday life. Those affected by apartheid lived in oppression, poverty , and fear. Nelson Mandela addressed this in his inaugural speech, stating, 'Our plan is to create jobs, promote peace and reconciliation, and to guarantee freedom for all South Africans. We will tackle the widespread poverty so pervasive among the majority of our people.' Mandela recognized who was most injured by apartheid, and that poverty and lack of opportunity were symptoms of the injuries to affected South Africans.
Nelson Mandela's inaugural speech lays out the new governing party's vision for the future. The first goal of Nelson Mandela's administration is a democratic government, in which there are checks and balances to ensure that the government does not overstep its boundaries. The second goal of the administration-- as laid out in Mandela's speech-- is the unification of the nation. He states, 'While we are and shall remain fully committed to the spirit of a government of national unity, we are determined to initiate and bring about the change that our mandate from the people demands.' Mandela made it clear that unity was necessary to ensure that the changes being made to the South African government, as well as South African society, were meaningful and well-received. Lastly, Mandela discussed the necessity of healing old wounds, and with the 'intent of constructing a new order based on justice for all.' These goals for the future of South Africa were ambitious, but Nelson Mandela was dedicated to changing South Africa for the betterment of the people.
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