“Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savor their songs.”

Anti-apartheid leader and South African president (1918–2013) spent 27 years in prison for his activism before becoming the nation’s first democratically elected leader. His work to dismantle racial segregation and foster reconciliation earned him global recognition as a symbol of peace and justice.