Today, December 10th, the South African city of Johannesburg embraces a massive and emotional act of homage to the former president Nelson Mandela.

Thousands of South Africans and leaders from around the world have assisted at this homage in tribute of Mandela. The place selected to celebrate the ceremony is the FNB stadium of Soweto, where the leader of the movement against Apartheid gave a historical speech after his release from prison.

The representative of SORTU, Urko Aiartza, came to this ceremony "to give tribute to a leader committed all of his life to the fight for justice and equality".

The African National Congress and the Abertzale Left have maintained for years an intense political relationship. The movement led by Mandela officially invited SORTU to take part in this farewell ceremony for Mandela.

It must be remembered that Nelson Mandela, through the foundation that carries his name, supported from the beginning the opening of the resolution process in the Basque Country. In fact it figures among the signatories of the Brussels Declaration, signed in 2010 by distinct international personalities.

"Nelson Mandela is an example for all revolutionaries and his legacy must be an inspiration for all of those countries and people who fight for a more just world", Aiartza said.

The Basque senator has explained that his presence today in Soweto "obeys a desire: that of expressing the sincere gratitude of our people for the support received from Mandela and from the movement against Apartheid in favour of the opening of a democratic process in the Basque Country".