Item 1172 - Statement of the President of the African National Congress Nelson Mandela at the 1993 Philadelphia Liberty Medal Award Tribute Luncheon

TRANSCRIPT

Master of Ceremonies,

Honourable leaders of the city of Philadelphia, of the State of Pennsylvania and the United States;

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

We have met at this luncheon both to celebrate the Fourth of July and to get to know one another.

I, for one, am both delighted and inspired that you, who come from so many walks of life and play such a crucial role in the life of the people of this city, state and country, have been willing to sacrifice your vacations so that we could be together on an occasion such as this one.

The Medal we shall receive this afternoon would have little meaning if it did not represent the real people of this country, people whom we could see, touch, feel and hear, people whom we could always remember as adherents of the values that are encapsulated in the Philadelphia Liberty Medal.

I know that among you, there are people who represent the grassroots movement for the liberation of South Africa and the broad anti-apartheid movement that made this country one of the principal architects of our common victory against apartheid. To you all, we extend our humble salute.

I also know that among you, there are some with whom we differed about the ways and means of bringing about change in South Africa, but who are ready to build a new relationship with the new South Africa, on the correct assumption that the new status quo in our country will reflect the best that your own revered sons and daughters stood and stand for.

The creation of that new South Africa is going to require that enormous resources are made available for socio-economic development to improve the quality of life of especially the black millions who are deprived, once sanctions are lifted.

This is both important in itself and critical to the very success of the process of the democratic transformation .of our country.

As you stand with us in the continuing struggle to end white minority rule, we trust that, by investing in the new South Africa, building strong trade links, effecting technology transfers and helping us with regard to human resource development, you will make a significant contribution to that new agenda of building a vibrant economy and an equitable, stable and peaceful society.

We have already made this appeal to the government of the United States, other nations who have the means to help, as well as such multilateral bodies as the World Bank and the IMF and trust that they too will respond positively.

We, for our part, commit ourselves and our people to the creation of the democratic, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa towards whose birth you have contributed in many significant ways. Together we will win!

Thank you.