Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela，President of South Africa
Cape Town，February 11th，1990
I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination.I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and—and with equal opportunities.It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.But if needs be，it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.
我既反对白人的统治，也反对黑人的统治。我珍视民主和自由社会的理想，在这个社会中，人人和睦相处，机会均等。我愿意为这个理想而生，并愿意实现这个理想。只要需要，为这个理想我愿献出生命。
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
背景故事
1990年2月11日，面带微笑的曼德拉以矫健的步伐和胜利者的姿态迈出了监狱的大门，在开普敦向迎接他出狱的数万名南非人民发表了激情澎湃的演讲。曼德拉出狱时说了一句意味深长的话：“当我走出狱室，迈过那扇通往自由的监狱大门时，我已经完全清楚了，若不能把悲痛和怨恨留在身后的监狱里，那么我自己其实仍是生活在狱中。”从曼德拉铿锵有力的声音中，我们能感受到这位72岁的老战士“老骥伏枥，志在千里”的雄心。
自此之后，曼德拉依旧坚持斗争，最终将南非由一个野蛮、落后、残暴的种族隔离制度的国家，变成了一个民主的国家。
名人简介
1918年，南非特兰斯凯出生了一名男婴，这个孩子便是纳尔逊·罗利赫拉赫拉·曼德拉，先后获南非大学文学士和威特沃特斯兰德大学律师资格。曾任非国大青年联盟全国书记、主席。于1994年至1999年间任南非总统，是首位黑人总统，被尊称为南非国父。
在就任总统前，曼德拉是积极的反种族隔离人士，同时也是非洲国民大会的武装组织民族之矛的领袖。当他领导反种族隔离运动时，南非法院以密谋推翻政府等罪名将他定罪。依据判决，曼德拉在牢中服刑了27年。1990年出狱后，转而支持调解与协商，并在推动多元族群民主的过渡期挺身领导南非。自种族隔离制度终结以来，曼德拉受到了来自各界的赞许，包括从前的反对者。
纳尔逊·曼德拉是二十世纪九十年代非洲乃至世界政坛上一颗最耀眼的巨星。他领导的非国大在结束南非种族主义的斗争中发挥了极其重要的作用。1994年4月新南非诞生，标志着非洲大陆反帝、反殖、反对种族隔离的政治解放任务胜利完成，载入了人类历史文明进程的光辉史册。1993年曼德拉和当时的白人总统德克勒克同获诺贝尔和平奖。1994年5月曼德拉当选为南非历史上第一位黑人总统，在国内外享有崇高的声誉。
演讲赏析
An Ideal for Which I Am Prepared to Die
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela，President of South Africa
Cape Town，February 11th，1990
My friends，comrades，and fellow South Africans：I greet you all in the name of peace，democracy，and freedom for all.I stand here before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you，the people.Your tireless and heroic sacrifices have made it possible for me to be here today.I therefore have placed the remaining years of my life in your hands.On this day of my release I extend my sincere and warmest gratitude to the millions of my compatriots and those in every corner of the globe who have campaigned tirelessly for my release.
I extend special greetings to the people of Cape Town，the city through which—which has been my home for three decades.Your mass marches and other forms of struggle have served as a constant source of strength to all political prisoners.I salute the African National Congress.It has fulfilled our every expectation in its role as leader of the great march to freedom，I salute our President，Comrade Oliver Tambo，for leading the ANC even under the most difficult circumstances.
I salute the rank and file members of the ANC：You have sacrificed life and limb in the pursuit of the noble cause of our struggle.I salute combatants of Umkhonto we Sizwe，like Solomon Mahlangu and Ashley Kriel，who have paid the ultimate price for the freedom of all South Africans.I salute the South African Communist Party for its sterling contribution to the struggle for democracy.You have survived 40years of unrelenting persecution.The memory of great communists like Moses Kotane，Yusuf Dadoo，Bram Fischer，and Moses Mabhida will be cherished for generations to come.I salute General Secretary Joe Slovo，one of our finest patriots.
We are heartened by the fact that the alliance between ourselves and the Party remains as strong as it—it always was.I salute the United Democratic Front，the National Education Crisis Committee，the South African Youth Congress，the Transvaal and Natal Indian Congresses，and Cosatu，and the many other formations of the Mass Democratic Movement.I also salute the Black Sash and the National Union of South African Students.We note with pride that you have acted as the conscience of white South Africans.Even during the darkest days in the history of our struggle you held the flag of liberty high.
The large scale mass mobilization of the past few years is one of the key factors which led to the opening of the final chapter of our struggle.I extend my greeting to the working class of our country.Your……Your organized strength is the pride of our movement.You remain the most dependable force in the struggle to end exploitation and oppression.
I pay tribute—I pay tribute to the many religious communities who carried the campaign for justice forward when the organizations of our people were silenced.I greet the traditional leaders of our country—many among you continue to walk in the footsteps of great heroes like Hintsa and Sekhukhuni.I pay tribute to the endless heroism of the youth.You，the young lions…….the young lions，have energized our entire struggle.I pay tribute to the mothers and wives and sisters of our nation.You are the rock hard foundation of our struggle.Apartheid has inflicted more pain on you than on anyone else.
On this occasion we thank the world—we thank the world community for their great contribution to the anti apartheid struggle.Without your support our struggle would not have reached this advanced stage.The sacrifice of the frontline states will be remembered by South Africans forever.My salutations will be incomplete without expressing my deep appreciation for the strength given to me during my long and lonely years in prison by my beloved wife and family.I am convinced that your pain and suffering was far greater than my own.
Before I go any further，I wish to make the point that I intend making only a few preliminary comments at this stage.I will make a more public statement only after I have had the opportunity to consult with my comrades.Today the majority of South Africans，black and white，recognize that apartheid has no future.It has to be ended by our own decisive mass action in order to build peace and security.