We have spoken often of the long road Kathy and I have travelled together. As a young man he gave up opportunities open to him and instead devoted himself to the struggle against apartheid, knowing that this would cost him his own freedom. We value his dedication and his integrity. His efforts and those of many others in all communities of our country played a significant role in achieving the democracy we enjoy today.

We support wholeheartedly the initiative to establish the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. Its commitment to educating future generations about our shared history is an important one. As significant as Kathy's life and work has been to our country, like me he has always been a disciplined cadre and member of a collective leadership. Beyond Kathy's individual role, then, his Foundation will promote and help sustain the ideal of a non-racial society which we fought for over so many decades. We are pleased to know that a room in the new Foundation will be named the Gandhi-Dadoo-Nehru Room, in memory of three great men.

We wish him well with this new endeavour. It expresses his belief, one which I share, that there remains much work to do in order to secure and extend our freedoms. It is indeed a long walk.

N R Mandela

August 2007