A place in Hamilton for Mandela
It is true that Nelson Mandela is the son of Africa. The African community of Hamilton proudly shared with other Hamiltonians the opportunity to celebrate Mandela’s life on a cold and stormy Sunday Dec. 15.
Mandela was a universal leader who belongs to not only Africa but the entire world, irrespective of colour, religion, sect, race or class. The celebration was warm. There were plenty of tears, joy, dances, singing and drumming. The participation in the event was so broad — it included people from every continent — that one could believe right away he belonged to the entire world.
Mandela introduced our world to Ubuntu — an African way of life of humanism that reaches across inter and intra community divisions, whether ethnic, racial, communal, political, religious or other. Ubuntu is in absolute contrast to our Western retributive justice system of punishment with a purpose of relationship and community building. Ubuntu is forgiveness and put perpetrators back into the community. Mandela brought South Africa into unity and we can learn from many of his lessons.
It is heartening that the entire world feels proud to live the legacy of Mandela. Ziauddin Yousafzai, father of the UN education ambassador, young Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan who was shot by the Taliban, told me Malala considers Mandela “her leader” and wants to follow in his footsteps to empower more than 600 million girls through education. This is the charisma of Mandela. We in Hamilton can also take in the message of Mandela’s life and struggle and transform conflicts among our peers, families, classrooms, and workplaces into relationships.
I have received tremendous support from many community leaders, faith groups, students, and civil society organizations to rename either King or Main street in the name of Mandela and declare Hamilton a Peace City. I am pleased that Mayor Bob Bratina, Hamilton Police Chief DeCair and mayoral candidate Brain McHattie have publicly endorsed the renaming idea.
The people of Hamilton can, I hope, make this a true peace city in Canada and the world; a city in which Mahatma Gandhi, the prophet of non-violence, is remembered and honoured with a statue beside City Hall.
Jahan Zeb is co-ordinator with Gandhi Peace Festival, a project of McMaster University and Hamilton community. jahanzebca@gmail.com
