ANKARA (AA) – Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay will represent Turkey at the funeral and memorial ceremony for former South African president Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg on Tuesday, December 10.
Mandela earned the nickname of Madiba (uniter) by successfully bringing into being the 'Rainbow Nation' in which all colors, races and religions live in equality and harmony after winning his struggle against the racist white minority, a written statement by Atalay's press office noted.
"The actual achievement which made him one of the rare leaders in world history was that he did not pursue a road of revenge and violence after serving a 27-year prison sentence, but he transformed the resentment and hatred caused by many years of injustice into love and brotherhood. With this approach, he has inspired solutions to many problems and conflicts around the world,” Atalay said.
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