Remembering Nelson Mandela: A light for peace in troubled times

Last July 18, the world once again commemorated the Nelson Mandela International Day, with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres leading the global tribute to one of history’s most inspiring champions of peace, reconciliation, and human dignity.

- JOSE DE VENECIA JR.

This annual occasion, celebrated on Mandela’s birthday, is a reminder that the values he lived and fought for remain urgent and relevant today. At a time when the world is once again engulfed in wars, bloody conflicts, and protracted geopolitical tensions — from Europe to the Middle East, Africa to Asia — we must draw wisdom from Mandela’s life, a life marked not only by struggle but by his extraordinary moral courage to forgive, reconcile, and rebuild.

As a lifelong advocate for peace and dialogue, we join the international community in paying a modest but heartfelt tribute to the memory and enduring legacy of President Nelson Mandela. We were privileged to have met this extraordinary man during his state visit to Manila in March 1997, at the invitation of then President Fidel V. Ramos. At the time, we were Speaker of the House of Representatives. We vividly remember his gentle strength, his dignity, and his unwavering belief in the possibility of a better world.