The world lost a great man last week. Nelson Mandela died on Dec. 5 at the age of 95. Around the world, his death was mourned, just as his life was celebrated, upon the news of his passing.
Mandela devoted much of his life to dismantling the legacy of apartheid in South Africa by tackling institutionalized racism, poverty and inequality, and fostering national unity.
Though his noble focus was initially localized, his legacy, ideas and passion spread around the world, contributing to the progress of social justice, equality and racial reconciliation in many countries, including Canada.
Mandela espoused the notion of restorative justice, an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of the victims and the offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or punishing the offender. It relies on the willing participation of all parties involved, using dialogue to achieve victim satisfaction and offender accountability.
Even after spending 27 years in prison, as a political prisoner during apartheid, upon his release Mandela did not seek retribution or revenge. Instead, he entered into peaceful negotiations with the ruling president to abolish apartheid and establish multi-racial elections, which eventually led to his election as the president of South Africa in 1994.
Restorative justice has been effective in Alberta since 2006 and also played a major role in the South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
As South Africa's first black president, Mandela promoted the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which set out to repair and reconcile past wrongs carried out during apartheid to avoid resentment and acts of revenge.
Prior to Canada's official apology in 2008 to indigenous peoples for Indian residential schools system, involved parties established the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission, closely reflecting the South African model.
Though Mandela himself was willing to admit to personal imperfections and mistakes, perhaps his strongest legacy will be that he was living example of his ideas and the words he spoke.
Mandela continued to be a positive model for peace, reconciliation, equality and social justice until his last days and has now left the world still imperfect, but perhaps a better place. Here's to hoping his ideas and values are not lost with his death but carried on for generations.
