~~ The world mourns Mandela ~~

**YouthFul** · 16-12-2013, 06:21 PM

South African leader and anit-aparthied hero Nelson Mandela died December 5 at the age of 95. Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years for fighting against apartheid and upon his release in 1990, continued to strive for peace and reconciliation as president of ANC and South African president in 1994. The country and the world mourns his death and celebrates his life.
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Flowers left by mourners surround a portrait of Nelson Mandela in the Sandton district of Johannesburg on Dec. 6. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died on Dec. 5 aged 95. Mandela, who was elected South Africa's first black president after spending nearly three decades in prison, had been receiving treatment for a lung infection at his Johannesburg home since September, after three months in hospital in a critical state. (Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images)

South African children hold placards showing the face of Nelson Mandela as they celebrate his life, in the street outside his old house in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, on Dec. 6. Flags were lowered to half-staff and people in black townships, in upscale mostly white suburbs and in South Africa's vast rural grasslands commemorated Nelson Mandela with song, tears and prayers while pledging to adhere to the values of unity and democracy that he embodied. (Ben Curtis/Associated Press)

people comfort each other outside the residence of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg on Dec. 6. (Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters)

South Africans hold pictures of former South African president Nelson Mandela as they pay tribute following his death in Johannesburg on Dec. 6. (Alexander Joe/AFP/Getty Images)

A young girl lays flowers in memory of Nelson Mandela in the Sandton district of Johannesburg on Dec. 6. (Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images)

Schoolchildren hold candles and portraits of former South African President Nelson Mandela during a prayer ceremony at a school in the southern Indian city of Chennai on Dec. 6. (Babu/Reuters)

A well-wisher writes a message on a poster of Nelson Mandela on which he and others have written their messages of condolence and support, in the street outside his old house in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa on Dec. 6. (Ben Curtis/Associated Press

An Iranian official of the South African embassy to Iran talks on her mobile phone as flowers a and condolence messages are seen at the gate of the South Africa embassy in Tehran, Iran, on Dec. 6. (Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

People look at floral tributes placed on a sculpture of Nelson Mandela next to The Royal Festival Hall on Dec. 6, in London, England. Mandela was a leader that helped conquer apartheid in racially divided South Africa after being jailed for his activism for decades. He was South Africa's first black president. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

People release paper lanterns after lighting them outside Madiba, a restaurant named in honor of former South African President Nelson Mandela, in the Brooklyn borough of New York on Dec. 5. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

A mourner sings the South African National anthem and hymn Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrica during a mass at St. Georges Cathedral in Capetown on Dec. 6. (Jennifer Bruce/AFP/Getty Images)

oung girl with a placard showing the face of Nelson Mandela and referring to his clan name "Madiba," marches with others to celebrate his life, in the street outside his old house in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, on Dec. 6. (Ben Curtis/Associated Press

le take pictures with their phones of a statuette of former South African President Nelson Mandela with a sign in front of it reading in Italian "Ciao Madiba" (Goodbye Madiba), referring to Mandela's clan name, displayed amongst other statuettes of famous personalities in the shop of an artisan of nativity scenes, in Naples' San Gregorio Armeno street, Italy, on Dec. 6. (Salvatore Laporta/Associated Press)

A woman pays tribute to Nelson Mandela outside the South African embassy near Trafalgar Square on Dec. 6, in London, England. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

A long line of people wait outside the polling station in the black township of Soweto, in the southwest suburbs of Johannesburg, to vote in South Africa's first all-race elections on April 27, 1994. Nelson Mandela, who became one of the world's most beloved statesmen and a colossus of the 20th century when he emerged from 27 years in prison to negotiate an end to white minority rule in South Africa, died at 95 years of age on Dec. 5. South African President Jacob Zuma made the announcement at a news conference late on Dec. 5, 2013, saying "we've lost our greatest son." (Denis Farrell/Associated Press/File)