Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. His father was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela himself was educated at University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the ruling National Party's apartheid policies after 1948. He went on trial for treason in 1956-1961 and was acquitted in 1961.After the banning of the ANC in 1960, Nelson Mandela argued for the setting up of a military wing within the ANC. In June 1961, the ANC executive considered his proposal on the use of violent tactics and agreed that those members who wished to involve themselves in Mandela's campaign would not be stopped from doing so by the ANC. This led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment with hard labour. In 1963, when many fellow leaders of the ANC and the Umkhonto we Sizwe were arrested, Mandela was brought to stand trial with them for plotting to overthrow the government by violence. His statement from the dock received considerable international publicity. On June 12, 1964, eight of the accused, including Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment. From 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town; thereafter, he was at Pollsmoor Prison, nearby on the mainland.During his years in prison, Nelson Mandela's reputation grew steadily. He was widely accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa and became a potent symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to compromise his political position to obtain his freedom.Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. After his release, he plunged himself wholeheartedly into his life's work, striving to attain the goals he and others had set out almost four decades earlier. In 1991, at the first national conference of the ANC held inside South Africa after the organization had been banned in 1960, Mandela was elected President of the ANC while his lifelong friend and colleague, Oliver Tambo, became the organisation's National Chairperson.

Mafalda

Welcome to the World of Mafalda

Mafalda is a comic strip written and drawn by the Argentine cartoonist Joaquin Salvador Lavado--better known by his pen name,Quino.

The strip features a little girl named Mafalda, who is about five or six years old, who hates soup and is very concerned about the state of the world, poverty, and war. Mafalda first appears in the weekly Primera Plana on September 29, 1964. The strip ran from 1964 to 1973 and is still popular in Latin America.

In this lens you'll find lots of information about Mafalda and her cast of friends.

Mafalda and her frirnds:

Felipe
Felipe is Mafalda's best friend. He's a year older than Mafalda, he has very little will power, does poorly in school, and has a vivid imagination. Felipe loves comic books and is particularly fond of "The Lone Ranger".Some of his typical phrases are the following:"Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today . . . I'll start applying that tomorrow.""I've decided to confront reality, so as soon as it gets pleasant, let me know.""Even my weaknesses are stronger than I am."

The Characters
- Mafalda: The main character, is an Argentine girl with a strong political view. She's around five or six years old. Mafalda hates soup and loves the Beatles.- "Mama" (Raquel) and "Papa" (no name): Mafalda's mother is a housewife, much to Mafalda's chagrine. Her father works for an insurance company, loves plants, and sympathises with mafalda's world view.- Felipe: A dreamer who is deeply scared of school, even though he's the brightest and oldest member of the gang. He often wages intense internal battles with his conscience and his innate sense of responsibility. Felipe loves reading comic books, particularly "The Lone Ranger".- Manolito: The son of a Spanish (Galician) shopkeeper, more concerned with business and money than anything else. He works in his father's shop.- Susanita: A frivolous gossip whose greatest ambition in life is to be a mother and dedicated housewife.- Miguelito: Somewhat of a rebel, most of the time he is a little too eager to get into philosophical debates. A descendant of italian immigrants, his grandfather is very fond of Benito Mussolini.- Guille: Mafalda's little brother. He has a pathologic dependence on his pacifier.- Libertad: A diminutive girl whose name means "Freedom". She always says what's on her mind.

Invictus

We are working with "Invictus" film.