Nelson Mandela International Day

Theme: "It is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity" Secretary-General's Message for 2026. Nelson Mandela International Day is marked by the United Nations General Assembly with an informal plenary meeting. The Chef de Cabinet to the United Nations Secretary-General, Earle Courtenay Rattray, will deliver remarks on behalf of the Secretary-General. Related Sites and Documents:  Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) . Watch the observance of the annual Nelson Mandela International Day - General Assembly, Informal meeting, 80th session! General Assembly

A Nelson Mandela International Day commemorates Mandela’s birthday and his lifetime of service to humanity. This year’s theme reminds us that it is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequality. YouTube short: "When Mandella called me Sir" >

The Office of the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi will be leading UN agencies and members of the Diplomatic corps in the Celebration of Mr. Kennedy Odede, the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize Laureate. Mr. Odede is the first Kenyan to receive this prestigious award and shared the 2025 Prize with Ms. Brenda Reynolds, a social worker of Saulteaux heritage in Canada, who has made a lasting impact on the health and well-being of Indigenous communities. Mr. Odede's organization, Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), a renowned Kenyan grassroots organization provides critical services to urban informal settlements, reaches over 2.5 million This follows the presentation of this award on 18 July, International Mandela Day, by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the President of the 79th session of the General Assembly, Philémon Yang, to the two laureates at a ceremony held at the UN Headquarters in New York. Key speakers: Mrs. Zainab Haw...

Resolution A/RES/64/13 recognizes Mandela's values and his dedication to the service of humanity in: conflict resolution; race relations; promotion and protection of human rights; reconciliation; gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups; the fight against poverty; the promotion of social justice. Programme: Opening remarks by H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly Statement by H.E. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations Keynote by H.E. Ms. Naledi Pandor, former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation in South Africa Awarding of the 2025 UN Mandela Prize to Ms. Brenda Reynolds and her remarks Awarding of the 2025 UN Mandela Prize to Mr. Kennedy Odede and his remarks Remarks from Member States Related Sites and Documents:  More information about the Mandela Prize . Watch the Nelson Mandela Day 2025 commemoration!

At the UN Headquarters, on July 18th, starting at 10:00 a.m. (EST); The United Nations General Assembly marks Nelson Mandela International Day with an informal plenary meeting under the Theme: “ It's still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity ”  Speakers: H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang (President of the General Assembly) H.E. Mr. António Guterres (UN  Secretary-General) .  Message 2025 H.E. Ms. Naledi Pandor (Former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa) Ms. Brenda Reynolds, 2025 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize laureate Mr. Kennedy Odede, 2025 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize laureate Chairpersons of regional groups

The United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize aims to recognize the achievements of those who dedicated their lives to the service of humanity as guided by the purposes and principles of the UN, while honouring and paying homage to Mandela's extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition and social transformation. It is awarded every five years and was first awarded in 2015 . The 2025 Prize is awarded to Mrs. Brenda Reynolds of Saulteaux First Nation and Canada, and Mr. Kennedy Odede of Kenya, selected by the UN Selection Committee which was advised by a group of eminent persons. The laureates will be recognized at the annual commemoration by the General Assembly of Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July 2025, which is Nelson Mandela International Day. Selection Committee In accordance with Article 4 (1) of the Statute , the Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize recipients are selected by the 2025 selection Committee composed as follows: Chair of the...

The Nelson Mandela Rules: Five facts. 1955 - First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime & the Treatment of Offenders. The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (PDF ), originally adopted by the First UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in 1955, constitute the universally acknowledged minimum standards for the management of prison facilities and the treatment of prisoners, and have been of tremendous value and influence in the development of prison laws, policies and practices in Member States all over the world. 2011 - Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Group. In recognition of the advances in international law and correctional science since 1955, however, the General Assembly decided, in 2011, to establish an open-ended intergovernmental Expert Group to review and possibly revise the rules. Relevant UN bodies, other international and regional organisations, as well as civil society were invited to contribute to ...