Mutharika tells UN peace summit to emulate Mandela

Malawi President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has started his official duties in the United State Of America, where he is attending the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly .

Mutharika first engagement was  attending the opening meeting of  the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit in the  UN General Assembly Hall at  the UN Headquarters where he delivered a powerful statement.

The Malawi leader addressed the gathering of world leaders for three minutes and he urged leaders across the globe to emulate the example which Mandela set by preaching peace as a key to the success of a national, regional block and the entire world to develop.

The focus of the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit is on Global Peace in honor of the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela.

The tributes to Mandela began with a rare U.N. honor — the unveiling of a $1.8 million statue of the South African anti-apartheid campaigner who became the world’s most famous political prisoner, played a key role in ending white-minority rule, and became president in the country’s first democratic election. The statue is a gift to the United Nations from South Africa.

His arms are outstretched in the statue, as if to embrace people everywhere. But after the cover was pulled off, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, placed a small South African flag in his lapel.

The Peace Summit offers the opportunity for world leaders to renew their commitment to global peace, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, promotion and protection of human rights and long-term development initiatives as called for by the Secretary-General.

The  Summit will also adopt a political declaration, which will reaffirm the values of Nelson Mandela.