Today, Friday 18 July, Unlock is standing in solidarity with allies and friends to mark Mandela Day.
Mandela Day honours the life of the great leader and is celebrated every year on 18 July, Nelson Mandela’s birthday – he would have been 107 today. The first UN Mandela Day was held on 18 July 2010.
The power to transform the world
The day is held as a global call to action that celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world, and the ability to make an impact.
Unlock CEO, Paula Harriott stated:
“Nelson Mandela is a guiding light for so many in our sector. He’s a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of a voice guided by righteousness.
“For us, Nelson Mandela’s story is the story of how hope triumphs over despair and courage conquers fear. He means so much to anyone interested in social justice around the world. He also represents something quite profound to people in prison around the world. He survived long-term captivity, he was a fearless activist and a symbol of compassion, showing how love can triumph over bitterness, division and ignorance.
“While I was in prison, he was a great inspiration for me The seemingly endless and inhumane imprisonment he experienced in Robben Island, followed by freedom and leadership, gave me hope before I was released.
He fought a dehumanising abomination
“It’s important to use Mandela Day to remember the system he was fighting. This was a disgraceful and dehumanising abomination that racialised and oppressed the majority in South Africa. And we must understand that today, with a disproportionate number of Black women and men in prison today, the injustice persists.
“And it has to stop.
“I mark this day by sending solidarity to those who are inspired by Mr Mandela’s story. To people who are in prison right now, such as those who are still serving unjust IPP sentences, and to those who have left prison, but still live under the long shadow of the criminal record, we take Mandela Day to say, ‘We stand with you. We are for you.’”
Unlock sends a message of solidarity to people in prison, colleagues, friends and allies around the world who are touched by this great man’s legacy.
Rest in power, Mr Mandela.
Learn more about the issues we work on
Find out more about Unlock’s campaigning work and our long history of speaking out against injustice and unfairness that is embedded in the criminal records system.
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- ‘Unlock the Vote’ for people serving sentences in prison
- Unlock comment: Naming and shaming in the Sentencing Bill
- MoJ’s AI Action Plan for Justice raises questions for people with criminal records
- Unlock stands in support of Mandela Day
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