Nelson Mandela, who would have been 98 years old today, was a guiding light for people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. 

At great personal sacrifice, he spent 67 years in the service of humanity - as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa.

I was privileged to meet Nelson Mandela in 2009. When I thanked him for his life’s work, he insisted the credit belonged to others. I will never forget his extraordinary humility.

Nelson Mandela said that “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”

To help make this difference, people around the world are marking Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July by devoting at least 67 minutes of their time to service in their community.  

United Nations staff around the world will once again volunteer for this year’s Mandela Day. In New York, staff will focus their efforts on helping women in need. Some will help out in a shelter for victims of domestic violence, while others will spend time delivering meals to homebound elderly. Senior UN officials will join staff members in donating and delivering professional clothing to local organizations that support disadvantaged women in making a successful transition into the workforce and help men in poverty become stronger contributors to their families and communities.

For my part, I am honoured to be spending this Mandela Day, my last as Secretary-General, in Nelson Mandela’s homeland at the International AIDS conference in Durban -- a fitting reminder of his dedicated advocacy in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Along with others in Durban I will help plant a tree near City Hall as a symbolic reminder of Nelson Mandela for generations to come. 

Join us this Mandela Day to take action and inspire change -- wherever you are and however you can.