My Memoirs - Citizen of the World

charitable spirit and charisma. I truly believe she was a true living
Saint on this very unfair and selfish world. I was pleased when in
1979 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her great work
and example to humanity.
NELSON MANDELA was born in Transkei in the southeastern
region of South Africa on July 18, 1918. He graduated from Law
School at the University College of Fort Hare and the University of
Witwatersrand. He joined the African National Congress in 1944
and engaged in a resistance movement against the ruling white
party which maintained apartheid, the terrible racist policy of
South Africa. Because of this he was tried for treason and sent to
prison where he spent 27 years! He was released on February 11,
1990. After he was released, he dedicated himself to the movement
to eliminate the apartheid system. He was elected, miraculously,
the first black president of South Africa. Despite all those years in
prison, he governed the country, without grudge against anyone.
He concentrated in positive measures, respecting all the different
ethnicities of South Africa. He became one of the most outstanding
leaders of the world. He is indeed one of my heroes and idols
because he always showed a magnificent example of brotherhood
among peoples of all races and creeds. I visited South Africa in the
1980’s and witnessed the terrible discrimination not only between
whites and blacks, but also Asians. He was an inspiration to me as
an intelligent and caring human being. I was very happy when he
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
MOHANDAS GANDHI was born on October 2 nd , 1869 in
Porbandar, India. After his schooling in India, he went to London,
where he obtained a Law degree. He then went to South Africa
where he spent 20 years defending the rights of immigrants in that
country that had many Asian immigrants. He returned to India in
1914, where he became the leader of the Indian National
Congress. At that time, India was part of the British Empire.
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