Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in South Africa in 1918, the son of a tribal chief. He studied at Fort Hare University, but was no longer allowed to attend classes due to his views. He therefore took courses to get his law degree. Since 1942, he fought with the African National Congress (ANC) for civil rights and against apartheid rules. The ANC fought for a world without discrimination. In 1964, Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment. He spent 27 years in prison, most of them on Robben Island.

With his incarceration, his power did not disappear: Mandela became a global symbol of oppression and the international anti-apartheid movement. His prison number 46664 became a symbol of struggle. In 1960, Mandela was released and the ANC was no longer banned. That meant Mandela was suddenly the leader of the freedom movement. He negotiated the composition, course and powers of a temporary government. In 1995, free elections came to South Africa for the first time. These elections would lead to a government of national unity.

A new government was built. Others also had an important role, led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In 1993, Mandela received the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1999, Mandela handed over the presidency to Thabo Mbeki. Thereafter, Mandela remained active around the world. He founded the company The Elders: a group of important 'old sages' who use their influence and experience for world peace. Meanwhile, many laureates of the Four Freedoms Awards are members of The Elders. In 2013, Mandela died in Johannesburg, South Africa.