English 
On 18 July, the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, the international community celebrates Nelson Mandela International Day, established by the United Nations in 2009 in recognition of the South African leader’s commitment to peace, justice and reconciliation. This anniversary invites each person to dedicate at least 67 minutes of their time – one for each year of Mandela’s public service – to make concrete gestures of solidarity towards others, particularly the most vulnerable.
Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was a living example of the power of forgiveness and non-violent resistance. After spending 27 years in prison for his opposition to apartheid, he led South Africa towards democracy, becoming the country’s first black president. His life is testified not only by speeches, but above all by actions: an unshakeable faith in human dignity, social justice and the possibility of building bridges between differences.
We are all called today to take up the invitation of this day and to renew our commitment to a culture of encounter, service, common good and above all peace, which we need so much. Celebrating Nelson Mandela means responding to the Christian vocation of active charity, remembering that, as he himself said, ‘what counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is the difference we have made in the lives of others that will determine the meaning of our lives’.
