MP Board · Class 10 · English · First Flight: Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to FreedomWhat "extraordinary human disaster" does Mandela refer to at the beginning of his speech, and what is the "glorious human achievement" he speaks of at the end?

At the beginning of his speech, Nelson Mandela refers to the 'extraordinary human disaster' of apartheid. This disaster was the system of institutionalized racial segregation and white supremacy that ruled South Africa for decades, causing immense suffering, humiliation, and oppression for the Black majority. At the end of his speech, he speaks of the 'glorious human achievement,' which refers to the establishment of South Africa's first democratic, non-racial government. This achievement represented the triumph of freedom, equality, and justice over racial discrimination, allowing all citizens, regardless of their skin color, to live with dignity and equal rights in their own country.