Happy Birthday, Mr. Mandela!

Today marks former South African president Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. What an unbelievable life he has led and what an inspiration of hope he is to so many of the world's citizens.

In 1994, Mandela arose from the ashes of South Africa's terrible years of apartheid to lead the "New South Africa" to a better future. After years of imprisonment, he worked with President FW DeKlerk in the early 1990s to end apartheid and open the country to free, democratic elections. Mandela and DeKlerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

I had the great opportunity to live and study in South Africa while Mandela was president. It was just a few years post-1994 and despite high crime rates and rampant unemployment, the country was imbued with hope and optimism. Mandela, it seemed most could agree, was the beacon of light to lead the country in a new direction. Today, he continues his good work to address S. Africa's HIV/AIDs crisis and remains a symbol of perserverance and hope in the darkest of times.

Happy Birthday, Madiba.