Message by
Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
In commemoration of
Nelson Mandela International Day
18th July 2019
Jamaica again wholeheartedly joins the international community to
commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day, as we reflect on the life and
legacy of Nelson Rolihlahla “Madiba” Mandela, the anti-apartheid
revolutionary icon of peace and reconciliation and the first democratically elected
President of South Africa.
This year’s commemoration marks the inauguration of the Nelson Mandela
Decade of Peace, 2019-2028, which was declared by world leaders at the
United Nations Nelson Mandela Summit on Global Peace held last September to
honour the centenary of his birth. Jamaica was pleased to participate in that
Summit and to affirm the urgent need for meaningful dialogue to engender peace,
reconciliation and communal accord. The Decade of Peace provides an
opportunity for nations to redouble their efforts to build a just, peaceful,
prosperous, inclusive and fair world; an objective that was at the core of all that
Mandela believed and struggled for and to which all mankind must aspire.
The greatness of Nelson Mandela rests in his extraordinary character. His sense
of humility and compassion were always evident and he was an example to all
who interacted with him. His life was an outstanding example of the fact that
“honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity,
readiness to serve are qualities which are within easy reach of every soul and
the foundation of one’s spiritual life”. His spirit of reconciliation, humility and the
generosity are noble human traits to live by. These are fundamental pillars for
the promotion of peace in our own communities and across the world.
As we join the global community in observing the start of the Nelson Mandela
Decade of Peace, I encourage my fellow Jamaicans to also become engaged in
contributing to the attainment of sustainable peace through both the prevention
as well as resolution of conflict. We must therefore, reject violence against our
women and children and support the rule of law and the processes established for
ensuring justice. Let us work towards the social and economic advancement of
our people. Let us provide avenues for positive and inclusive participation in
Jamaica’s growth and development.
On this Nelson Mandela International Day, I encourage each and every one of us
to be our brother’s keeper, to celebrate and build on the legacies of Nelson
Mandela to fight against injustice, inequality, and oppression and to stand up for
the weak and vulnerable. Let us be inspired by the tremendous sense of
possibilities that Mr. Mandela’s life epitomized, and be encouraged by the
sacrifices he made to achieve his dream of equality and justice. Let us leave no
one behind in the quest for global peace!