A/HRC/39/38 15. The African Union, at its Summit in 2013, had declared the period 2014–2024 Madiba Nelson Mandela Decade of Reconciliation in Africa, and in January 2018, the African Union Assembly had adopted the Declaration on the Centenary of Nelson Mandela, declaring 2018 the Nelson Mandela Centenary, and had called for a special peace summit. 16. In concluding, Mr. Quartey recalled some key lessons from Mr. Mandela’s legacy, such as to never give up, to be proud of African heritage, that the fight for one’s own freedom was a fight for the freedom of others, that freedom and justice could only be truly achieved by fighting for equality, and that the differences between people were strengths, not weaknesses. 17. The Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Christian Leffler, praised the legacy of Mr. Mandela, whose dedication to equality and whose perseverance and principles had not only created change, but had also inspired generations in South Africa and globally. Mr. Leffler also paid tribute to human rights defenders who, taking inspiration from Mr. Mandela, defended the same ideals and the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelated nature of human rights, which were also being underscored in 2018 through the celebrations of the seventieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. 18. Mr. Mandela’s message remained more pertinent than ever as over recent years human rights, and particularly their universal nature, had been challenged by growing populist and nationalist politics and resurgent violent manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. 19. Underlining the interconnection between human rights and security, Mr. Leffler observed that human rights violations, marginalization and discrimination were creating fertile ground for radicalization. He stressed the need to build inclusive and diverse societies that would in turn give rise to resilient communities that could promote and protect sustainable development and sustainable security. The experience of Europe demonstrated the importance of a strong legal framework prohibiting discrimination, hate crimes and hate speech, which must be vigorously enforced. Measures to prevent and tackle intolerance must also be stepped up, including by supporting projects and initiatives to prevent and counter all forms of hatred and intolerance and by endorsing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 20. Collaboration between the European Union and Africa, in particular the Human Rights Dialogue with South Africa and cooperation with various regional and sub-regional organizations, was particularly welcome. He reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to enhancing its partnership with Africa on peace and security, and job creation for young people, with a view to achieving strong and resilient societies. 21. In concluding, Mr. Leffler called for action to promote equality and justice and to fight for the promotion and protection of human rights. He reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to work to realize Mr. Mandela’s dreams, notably his belief in democratic institutions, including those at the international level, and multilateralism, and to fight for peace and dignity throughout the world. Against a backdrop of closing borders and unilateral interests, Mr. Mandela’s legacy showed that people were stronger when they worked together, and that freedom, equality and rule of law could never be taken for granted and must be fought for endlessly. 22. The Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Right to Development, Zamir Akram recalled that Mr. Mandela had been a champion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular of the global poor. He had been a staunch proponent of political, economic and social rights, especially of the downtrodden and the dispossessed. His legacy encompassed the promotion and protection of all human rights through social justice, reconciliation and democratic principles, as well as the fight against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia. Mr. Mandela had recognized that there could be no human rights without human development. Eradicating poverty had therefore been his primary objective, not just for his own people but for all humanity. 4