Glasgow’s Nelson Mandela Place honours a man as big in history as he was in life.

Mandela was a titanic champion of human decency. His struggle for the dignity, economic advancement and human rights of black South Africans has a celebrated place in the annals of our recent times. Glasgow played a significant role in persuading the world of the rightness of Mandela’s cause.

Nelson Mandela was born 107 years ago on July 18, 1918. As we mark his birthday, we should also remember what he stood for and seek to keep his ideas alive.

Until 1986, Nelson Mandela Place was known as St George’s Place. At the time, Mandela was still a political prisoner in apartheid South Africa. In 1981, Glasgow had granted prisoner number 466/64 the Freedom of the City, its highest honour. It was the first city in the world to make Mandela a freeman. Some 2,500 cities worldwide would go on to endorse him. In so doing they condemned apartheid and hastened its end.

Released in1990, after 27 years in jail, on October 9, 1993, Mandela came to Glasgow to say thank you to the city. “You declared us to be free,” he told the great crowd that had gathered to see one of the most famous people of the 20th century. The following year he became president of South Africa.

Read more by Martin Roche

It is 35 years ago this year since Nelson Mandela walked out from imprisonment to captivate the world with his dignity and warmth and his wish not to punish his captors but to reconcile enemies and build a fairer society.

Glasgow marks its 850th birthday this year. Championing Nelson........

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