IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 455 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on Nelson Mandela 

International Day. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 18, 2017 

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia (for himself, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. 

CONNOLLY, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. DONOVAN, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. EVANS, 

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. JACKSON

LEE, Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. LEE, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. NORTON, 

Ms. PLASKETT, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, and Mr. COHEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on 

Nelson Mandela International Day. 

Whereas Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born to the Thembo 

Dynasty in Mvezo in the Umtata District of Transkei, 

South Africa, on July 18, 1918; 

Whereas, as a young man, Nelson Mandela became an activist through acts of boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience, 

and other forms of noncooperation during the fight 

against apartheid, a system of racial segregation in South 

Africa; 


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•HRES 455 IH 

Whereas, as a leader of the African National Congress (ANC) 

and the African National Congress Youth League, Nelson 

Mandela and 9 of his fellow ANC leaders were arrested, 

charged, and tried for plotting the violent overthrow of 

the Government of South Africa; 

Whereas, on June 12, 1964, 8 of the accused, including Nelson Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment; 

Whereas, from 1964 to 1982, Nelson Mandela was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off the coast of Cape 

Town, South Africa, before being moved to the maximum-security Pollsmoor Prison in the Cape Town suburb of Tokai; 

Whereas, during the years of his imprisonment, Nelson 

Mandela became widely accepted as the most significant 

Black leader in South Africa and a symbol of resistance 

against apartheid, discrimination, and injustice; 

Whereas a global movement to release Nelson Mandela and 

end the South African system of apartheid included international economic sanctions like Public Law No. 99–440, 

the Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, and the condemnation of 

apartheid by countless leaders, artists, intellectuals, and 

activists; 

Whereas at 4:14 p.m. on February 11, 1990, Mandela was 

released from the Victor Verster prison in Paarl after 

being a political prisoner for 27 years, 6 months, and 1 

week; 

Whereas the release of Nelson Mandela was a defining moment in the global effort to end apartheid; 

Whereas, in 1993, Nelson Mandela and South African President F.W. de Klerk accepted the Nobel Peace Prize and 


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•HRES 455 IH 

pledged to continue working towards a democratic, nonracial South Africa; 

Whereas a series of negotiations between the Government of 

South Africa and the ANC resulted in the abolishment of 

apartheid and an election in which almost 20,000,000 

South Africans of all ethnicities cast their vote under a 

national policy of universal suffrage; 

Whereas Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as President of 

the Republic of South Africa on May 10, 1994, and 

pledged to lead a ‘‘united, democratic, non-racial and 

non-sexist government’’ for all people of South Africa; 

Whereas, during President Mandela’s tenure, there were distinct advancements in racial relations as South Africa 

transitioned from apartheid and minority rule to a country that aspired to achieve reconciliation, equality, and 

peace; 

Whereas, through President Mandela’s leadership, the spirit 

of ‘‘ubuntu’’, the African philosophy of the interconnectedness, caring, sharing, and harmony of humanity, has 

spread throughout the world; 

Whereas, in 1999, President Mandela retired to private life 

in his town of birth, Qunu, Transkei; 

Whereas upon leaving elected office, President Mandela continued to fight for peace, reconciliation, and social justice 

causes including championing HIV/AIDS awareness and 

treatment; 

Whereas Nelson Mandela established a number of organizations, which include the Nelson Mandela Foundation and 

The Elders, an independent group of public figures committed to addressing global problems and easing human 

suffering; 


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•HRES 455 IH 

Whereas, on September 21, 2013, the South African Embassy, led by Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, unveiled a 

Washington, DC, statue of President Mandela that was 

designed by sculptor Jean Doyle and modeled after images of the anti-apartheid leader leaving prison in 1990 

after 27 years of incarceration; 

Whereas, on December 5, 2013, President Mandela died at 

age 95 surrounded by family and loved ones in his home; 

Whereas the United Nations delegates from the countries of 

Spain and Turkey jointly introduced a resolution to designate July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day; 

Whereas the United States was a proud sponsor of the resolution; 

Whereas when speaking in support of the United Nations resolution, Ms. Laura Ross, United States delegate to the 

United Nations stated that ‘‘Mandela used his moral 

power for a moral purpose. He turned enemies into partners, fear into trust, hatred into forgiveness, and discrimination into democracy.’’; and 

Whereas the United Nations General Assembly unanimously 

adopted A/Res/64/13 to designate July 18 as Nelson 

Mandela International Day, beginning in 2010: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) applauds the United Nations General As3 sembly for uniting to honor President Mandela’s 

4 selfless contribution to international peace and free5 dom; 


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•HRES 455 IH 

1 (2) recognizes the global impact of President 

2 Mandela’s legacy and commitment to nonviolence, 

3 respect, and dialogue; 

4 (3) expresses support for the international com5 munity’s recognition of United Nations Nelson 

6 Mandela International Day; and 

7 (4) urges all citizens of the United States to re8 flect on the importance of peace, tolerance, democ9 racy, human rights, and reconciliation in honor of 

10 Nelson Mandela International Day. 

Æ 


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