The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The 90th birth anniversary of Nobel peace laureate and South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela was observed across the world yesterday.

In Dhaka, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) and Rishij Shilpigoshthi jointly oragnised a discussion meeting at National Music and Dance Centre Auditorium of BSA yesterday to celebrate the day.

In observance of 90th birth anniversary of Mandela, the programme with full of songs, poetries and talks made the function lively and memorable.

The programme was divided into three parts. In the first part, discussion meeting was held. National Professor Kabir Chowdhury was present as chief guest at the function, while Dr Saidur Rahman, General Secretary of Afro-Asian Gano Sanghati Parishad, Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, Director General of BSA, Asaduzzaman Nur, media personality, Mofidul Haque, cultural activist, Golam Kuddus of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, among others, took part in the discussion. Gano Sangeet artiste Fakir Alamgir chaired the meeting.

Country's eminent poets, litterateurs, intellectuals and secretaries of different ministries, high government and non-government officials and artistes were also present to celebrate the day.

In the second part, artistes of BSA and Rishij performed songs and poetries to celebrate the birth anniversary.

Later on the last part, a documentary on life and works of Nelson Mandela was presented at the auditorium.

Nelson Mandela, born in 1918, is a former president of South Africa. Before his presidency, he was an anti-apartheid activist and leader of the African National Congress (ANC) and its armed wing 'Umkhonto we Sizwe.' He spent 27 years in prison, much of it on Robben Island, on convictions for crimes that included sabotage committed while he spearheaded the struggle against apartheid.

Among opponents of apartheid in South Africa and internationally, he became a symbol of freedom and equality, while the apartheid government and nations sympathetic to it condemned him and the ANC as communists and terrorists.

Mandela has received more than one hundred awards over four decades, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. He is currently a celebrated elder statesman who continues to voice his opinion on topical issues. In South Africa he is often known as 'Madiba,' an honorary title adopted by elders of Mandela's clan. The title has come to be synonymous with Nelson Mandela.

Mandela has frequently credited Mahatma Gandhi for being a major source of inspiration in his life, both for the philosophy of non-violence and for facing adversity with dignity.