Nelson Mandela: “A Tragedy of Unprecedented Proportions” Mandela is shown here with actor Will Smith at the June 2008 “46664” concert in honor of Mandela’s 90th birthday. 46664 was Mandela’s prisoner identification number during his 27-year imprisonment for anti-apartheid activity in South Africa. Today, 46664 is a global campaign that focuses on HIV prevention. The number symbolizes Mandela’s insistence that no human being should ever be reduced to a simple number—including the millions of people living with HIV. In Mandela’s words, “A tragedy of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Africa. Today in Africa, AIDS is claiming more lives than the sum total of all wars, famines, and floods, and the ravages of such deadly diseases as malaria. We must act now for the sake of the world.” After a long, inspiring life, Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013.

REUTERS/Andrew Winning