Nelson Mandela :: essays research papers

Nelson Mandelas greatest pleasure, his most private moment, is watch the sun set with the music of Handel or Tchaikovsky playing. Locked up in his cellular phone during twenty-four hourslight hours, deprived of music, both these simple pleasures were denied him for decades. With his fellow prisoners, concerts were organised when possible, in particular at Christmas time, where they would sing. Nelson Mandela finds music very uplifting, and takes a keen interest not only in European classical music but overly in African choral music and the many talents in southwestern African music. But one voice stands out above any - that of Paul Robeson, whom he describes as our hero. The years in jail reinforce habits that were already entrenched the disciplined eating regime of an athlete began in the 1940s, as did the early morning purpose. Still today Nelson Mandela is up by 4.30am, irrespective of how late he has worked the previous evening. By 5am he has begun his exercise routine that lasts at least an hour. Breakfast is by 6.30, when the days newspapers are read. The day s work has begun. With a standard working day of at least 12 hours, time management is critical and Nelson Mandela is extremely impatient with unpunctuality, regarding it as insulting to those you are dealing with. When speaking of the lengthened travelling he has undertaken since his release from prison, Nelson Mandela says I was helped when preparing for my release by the memorial of Pandit Nehru, who wrote of what happens when you leave jail. My daughter Zinzi says that she grew up without a give, who, when he returned, became a father of the nation. This has infinited a great responsibility of my shoulders. And wherever I travel, I immediately begin to miss the familiar - the mine dumps, the colour and heart that is uniquely South African, and, above every(prenominal), the people. I do not wish to be away for any length of time. For me, there is no place like home. Mandela acce pted the Nobel Peace Prize as an accolade to all people who have worked for peace and stood against racism. It was as much an award to his soul as it was to the ANC and all South Africa s people. In particular, he regards it as a tribute to the people of Norway who stood against apartheid while many in the instauration were silent.