Item 046 - Statement of the Deputy President of the African National Congress, Nelson Mandela, at the stone laying ceremony at Uganda's National Stadium

Identity area

Reference code

ZA COM MR-S-046

Title

Statement of the Deputy President of the African National Congress, Nelson Mandela, at the stone laying ceremony at Uganda's National Stadium

Date(s)

  • 1990-07-07 (Creation)

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

Transcription of speech made by Mr Mandela

Context area

Name of creator

(18 July 1918-5 December 2013)

Biographical history

Archival history

Migrated from the Nelson Mandela Speeches Database (Sep-2018).

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

ANC Website

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

TRANSCRIPT

It is with all humility that we accept this pleasant task of laying the foundation stone of Uganda's National Stadium on behalf of our peers and indeed on behalf of all freedom loving people the world over. We perform this act of creation with a deep sense of gratitude that you have honoured us by appointing us to represent the heroes and heroines who fight for freedom.

On this foundation stone, a beautiful stadium dedicated to recreation and other public activities shall arise. On this rock, citizens of this great country will congregate to celebrate their nationhood and reaffirm their loyalty to their common destiny. On many occasions, and here, the Ugandan people will be joined by sportsmen and women from other countries. They will also be joined by other culture and the human race.

It gives us the greatest pleasure to be participants in an act which is bound to bring happiness to so many. We do so, deeply pained by the fact that in our country, apartheid has sought to dehumanise our people by distorting and undermining their cultural heritage. It is therefore our historic responsibility to reclaim and restore that heritage to our people as a whole. In this context, and as a part and parcel of our struggle against apartheid, we have called upon the international community to sever all cultural links with apartheid South Africa.

We look forward to the say when the youth or Uganda will use this stadium to develop a sound mind in a sound body and train themselves to appreciate the virtues of individual excellence as well as the social importance of cooperative team effort.

This ceremony is to us also a moment of hope. By inviting us to perform this initial ritual, the Ugandan people have, eloquently, pronounced their readiness to struggle with us until apartheid has been eliminated. We shall leave this country fortified by the knowledge that millions of you are with us.

The best tribute we can pay to Uganda, Africa and the world at large is to win our freedom. When that day comes, we shall come and play in this stadium in the knowledge that you too will compete in our fields as par of our common effort to build friendship among the youth and peoples of our country.

Thank You.

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Acquisition method: From website ; Source: ANC Website. Accessioned on 7 Nov 2006 by Helen Joannides

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related people and organizations

Related genres