Nelson Mandela, former President and anti-apartheid revolutionary of South Africa, passed away on Thursday December 5 at the age of 95. Mandela, better known to the South African people as “Madiba”, aimed to dismantle apartheid with his own kind of government.

As hard as Mandela fought there was a price to pay. He made a big sacrifice, one that would cost him 27 years in prison for leading anti-apartheid revolutionists. Madiba would spend those 27 years in a small jail cell on Robben Island. After revolutionary’s marched for his release, Mandela was released in 1990.

Mandela went to the South African President and pushed to abolish apartheid and that’s exactly what happened. In 1994 in the first multiracial election in South African history, Mandela won the election becoming the first black President in South Africa’s history. Mandela not only changed the social world in South Africa, but Madiba had an influence on the sports world in South Africa.

Madiba brought the country together in 1995 through the South African Rugby team, The Springboks. As South Africans watched their home country team, it was clear that the nation was still a nation divided. As Mandela watched the Springboks, a team filled with white players, Mandela had one goal in mind. To show that color did not matter in South Africa and that both black and white could come together as one to support their nation and the Springboks.  By the final round, the nation was reminded of what Madiba had done for South Africa. For the first time in South Africa’s history both blacks and whites showed that they were one nation under one man.

In 2004 in Zurich Switzerland, the 2010 FIFA World Cup’s host nation was set to be chosen and South Africa was up for the bid. South Africa was then chosen to welcome the world in 2010, being the first African nation to host the FIFA World Cup. At the drawing of the teams Madiba spoke to the world. “May the rewards brought by the FIFA World Cup prove that the long wait for its arrival on African soil has been worth it. ‘Ke Nako’; Its time.” Said Madiba. Nelson Mandela changed not only South Africa, but how people of the world viewed South Africa.

Mandela showed that no matter what the obstacles are or no matter how different two sets of people are, they can be brought together as one. Not only South Africa, but the entire world will remember the man who changed not only a nation, but a continent. A man who will always be remembered regardless of what country you live in or what race you are. The world will never forget Nelson Mandela.