Day of Reconciliation 2020 Quotes by Nelson Mandela: Thoughts by South African Anti-Apartheid Revolutionary to Share on the Observance

The Day of Reconciliation is a public holiday observed in South Africa on December 16. The day celebrates the end of apartheid and fosters reconciliation between different racial groups. The observance came into effect in 1994 after the end of Apartheid. Nelson Mandela, South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader and philanthropist has immensely championed for social issues. He also served as the President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. Mandela's negotiations in the early 1990s with South African Pres. F.W. de Klerk helped end the country’s apartheid system of racial segregation. As we observe The Day of Reconciliation 2020, we bring to you quotes by Nelson Mandela to share on the occasion. Share these thoughts and spread the message on forgiveness and love. Facts to Know About Nelson Mandela, South Africa's Anti-Apartheid Icon.

For the efforts in bringing peace, Mandela and de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1993 for their efforts. When apartheid was prevelant in Sout Africa, December 16 was commemorated as the Day of the Vow, also known as Day of the Covenant or Dingaan Day. It commemorated the Afrikaner victory over the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in 1838. Following which, it changed and today the day is observed by remembering past history, recognising veteran's contributions, marching, and other festivities. Inspiring Quotes From Nelson Mandela, The Anti-Apartheid Revolutionary and South Africa's First Black President.

Quote Reads: Forgiveness Liberates the Soul, It Removes Fear. That’s Why It’s Such a Powerful Weapon.

Quote Reads: If You Are Negotiating You Must Do So in a Spirit of Reconciliation, Not From the Point of View of Issuing Ultimatums.

Quote Reads: The Message of Reconciliation, of Nation-Building, of Granting Amnesty, Indemnity, Has Struck a Powerful, Favorable Chord. And People Can Understand That We’re Here Not for Purposes of Retribution but to Forget the Past and to Build Our Country.

Quote Reads: True Reconciliation Does Not Consist in Merely Forgetting the Past.

Quote Reads: In the End, Reconciliation Is a Spiritual Process, Which Requires More Than Just a Legal Framework. It Has to Happen in the Hearts and Minds of People.

December 16th is also the founding date of Umkhonto We Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress, co-founded by Nelson Mandela in 1961 in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre. With the advent of democracy in South Africa, December 16 retained the status as a public holiday and was first celebrated as Day of Reconciliation in 1995.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 16, 2020 08:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).