Tribute to Nelson Mandela: “Angel of Peace”

Nelson Mandela is our inspiration, and so we went to Robben Island prison to pay tribute to him while alive, at the place where he was imprisoned for 27 years.

At the end of 2013, one of the most important humanity’s referents of peace passed away. Nelson Mandela was leaving the face of the Earth to become part of history’s icons of tolerance, forgiveness, union and love.
Nelson Mandela, “Madiba”, is one of the inspirations of Rugby Sin Fronteras and one of our first honorees. The South African leader chose to preach union and tolerance using rugby as an instrument, after being in jail for 27 years.
On November 4, 2011, we paid tribute to the Nobel Peace Prize together with a 26-member delegation that went to South Africa and got to the Robben Island prison, where Mandela spent 18 of the 27 years he was in jail. There, the Rugby Sin Fronteras team stayed in the cell block where Mandela had been imprisoned.
As a symbol of gratitude, we spent the night in one of the prison cells (currently a National Museum) and in the yard we made a rugby field, where we played a match in homage to the great “Madiba”. For this match, we assembled the former coach of the Pumas, Marcelo Loffreda; John Carlin, English journalist who wrote “Playing the Enemy”, inspiration for the film “Invictus”; Gustavo Zerbino, Rugby Sin Fronteras Vice-president and survivor of the Miracle of the Andes; Jorge Dartiguelongue, who wore the same clothes he wore during his South African tour in 1965 with the National Argentine team; and Mandela’s cell mate for 8 years, Ntozelizwe Talakumen.
From the Foundation we pay homage to the great Mandela taking his legacy to each of our actions, such as the campaign “Yo Respeto” (I respect), inspired in his example of “I Forgive” , gesture he showed when putting the Springboks cap on and asking his people to support them, even thought they had imprisoned him for 27 years.
His legacy will remain in our hearts and actions. He will be our lighthouse when we think how a society can overcome war, division and hatred.
Thank you for your “I Forgive.” Thank you for this “I Respect”.

Andrés H. Galliano
Sworn Translator. Interpreter
+54-11-30553544