Nelson mandela - his legacy is our legacy

He was known as a great political leader, but he was also a monumental figure in the  civil society movement. Not as well known is the particular importance that many people in the third sector and its wider family of civil society organisations placed on him. From our student movement to social justice campaigners, many Scottish activists drew inspiration from him. They often positioned their campaigns around his ideals both at abroad and at home.

Like me, many will have learned about his life cause from afar and they too will have been inspired about the power emanating from a strong conviction and what it can do in the face of extreme adversity.

In fact the global umbrella body for citizen-led action, CIVICUS, of which SCVO is a member has its spiritual home in South Africa, with its head office based in Johannesburg. Mandela's widow, Graca Machel, is a well known rights and AIDS campaigner, and has participated in the CIVICUS World Assemblies. Many of you will remember the World Assemblies as they were hosted in Glasgow between 2006-2008. Through Graca, Mandela lent his considerable weight to the Global Call Against Poverty, the umbrella campaign for Make Poverty History. This campaign was pivotal in drawing Scotland's civil society onto the world stage during the G8 in 2005. Mandela personally lent his support through a rare public speech he gave in London during that campaign. For me personally, I remember singing the 'free Mandela' songs as a very young school kid during some of my formative years in central Sweden. Like me, many will have learned about his life cause from afar and they too will have been inspired about the power emanating from a strong conviction and what it can do in the face of extreme adversity. He was at the centre of the political world, but he was also at the centre of our civil society movement. His legacy is our legacy.