assembled guests and the watching world, I said: Today, all of us do, by our presence here... confer glory and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud. We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil.
We thank all of our distinguished international guests for having come to take possession with the people of our country of what is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity. We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.
The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. Let freedom reign. God bless Africa! Oral Comprehension Check Where did the ceremonies take place?
Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone? Can you say how May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa? confer (a formal word) here, give We, who were outlaws because of its policy of apartheid, many countries had earlier broken off diplomatic relations with South Africa emancipation freedom from restriction deprivation state of not having one's rightful benefits discrimination being treated differently or unfavourably At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”. What does he mean by this?
What is the “glorious … human achievement” he speaks of at the end? What does Mandela thank the international leaders for? . What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?