Nelson Mandela was an influential leader during the rule of Apartheid. He helped liberate South Africa and was the first Black president, changing the absolute rule to a democratic one. He faced many hardships along his journey, including several incarcerations. Through those hardships, he persevered and shaped the lives of the South Africans today.

In 2009 the UN General Assembly declared July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day where people devote themselves to helping others for 67 minutes. The purpose of this day was to commemorate the 67 years that Nelson Mandela spent devoting his time to help liberate those who were facing oppression. By taking part in the 67 minutes of service, you would be able to help others who are being oppressed today, whether they are poor or abused. Taking part on this day would allow people to come together and make a difference, just like Nelson Mandela and all of his followers did in South Africa.

This day allowed people to come together with a common goal to help impact the lives of the abused and the poor. Even if you live miles away from someone else, you would still have the same goal as that person. You both would want to help others become somebody and live for themselves with no worries. That is exactly what Nelson Mandela did. He gathered people together with a common goal to free others, like them, who were being oppressed by Apartheid. He even opened a law firm that served the black people because none of the others, which were run by the white people, would help them. 67 Minutes



Completing one hour of community service would make a big impact on people’s lives. It is also very easy to complete. Completing one hour of service is like completing a one hour TV show; it goes by quickly and you can get a lot done within that hour. Just like the TV show, volunteering can keep you at the edge of your seat and satisfy you, making you feel relieved and confident. Sometimes it can leave you guessing, like a TV show sometimes does. You might want to know if the people you are serving are doing okay or not. Volunteering can leave you satisfied and make you feel like you actually got something done. Along with that, you would be making a huge difference, even though it might not seem like that much. One hour of service can make the people you serve feel good about themselves, look at themselves in a different way, and feel like they have actually learned something valuable that they can continue to use throughout their life. In conclusion, serving others for at least 67 minutes would help impact the lives of others as well as commemorate the 67 years that Nelson Mandela spent helping those in need.