 My name is Ambassador Johnny Carson. I am a senior advisor at the United States Institute of Peace. Nelson Mandela was a towering figure. He was a man of great discipline who lived by a very high moral and ethical standard. He was a lawyer by profession, an intellectual, a liberation leader, and a man dedicated to trying to bring South Africa to the benefit of all of its citizens. He worked enormously hard to end apartheid, and his own self-sacrifice stands out as a part of his character. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison after having been convicted in 1962 for terrorism. When he was released from prison in 1990, many people thought he would come out as a man full of hate and anger. He didn't have an intern on those who had arrested him. In fact, he set up a peace and reconciliation commission led by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who also won a Nobel Prize. And in that reconciliation, he got those who had done injustices to acknowledge the injustices, those who had suffered had an opportunity to share their grief and hardship in a way that was profound for the nation. Nelson Mandela, in many ways, embodied the very principles that underpin the work of USIP. The United States Institute of Peace is very honored to be able to host a series of lectures and seminars on the life and work of Nelson Mandela. His commitment to peace, his commitment to reconciliation, and his commitment to bringing people together after they have gone through a very serious and traumatic conflict.