By Ayo Kehinde
Against the background of the ongoing world leader’s meeting at the United Nation’s General Assembly, a life-size statue of former South African president and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela has been unveiled at the UN’s headquarters in New York.
The UN had on Monday evening declared the next 10 years, Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace in commemoration of the centenary celebration of the late anti-apartheid icon.
Accordingly, member states at the summit adopted the first resolution of the General Assembly’s 73rd session, “committing to demonstrate mutual respect, tolerance, understanding and reconciliation in (their) relations.”
Continuing the resolution added: “We resolve to move beyond words in the promotion of peaceful, just, inclusive and non-discriminatory societies with equal participation and full involvement of women and the meaningful participation of youth in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.
“Sustainable development cannot be realised without peace and security, and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development. “ We reaffirm our pledge that no one will be left behind,” the resolution read.
Addressing the summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke of the growing pressure against human rights around the world and urged everyone to draw inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s wisdom, courage and fortitude, to face the challenges.
The status: “At 1.8 metres tall‚ the Nelson Mandela Statue is the only life-size statue at the United Nations headquarters‚ signifying the role he played in unifying the world under the banner of peace and conflict resolution‚” the South African presidency said.
The statue was reportedly created by South African sculptors Andre Prinsloo and Ruhan Janse van Vuuren, the same team behind a nine-metre bronze Mandela statue at the Union Buildings in Tshwane, the headquarters of the South African government.
When the new statue was unveiled at today’s ceremony in New York by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, he said: We trust that this statue will remain a constant reminder to the international community of the dedication of Nelson Mandela to the mission of the UN and a constant affirmation of South Africa’s commitment to contribute to a better world for all.”
