The Human Heart
Glimmers of Hope
No One is Born Hating
Love and Tolerance

Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize winner whose fight for equality was instrumental in ending apartheid, is featured in a special series of Public Service Announcements airing on CBS. The messages, which highlight the universal importance of tolerance and diversity, debuted on April 30, 2006 and will run for a year. Part of the acclaimed CBS Cares initiative, this marks the first time that CBS Cares PSAs feature non-CBS entertainment, news or sports talent.

?Nelson Mandela is among the most admired and important figures of the 20th Century, and we are extremely honored to have him participating in this campaign,? said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation. ?Throughout his life he has fought for justice and equality, and the sacrifices he made in pursuing those ideals helped unite the world, and helped end a brutal legacy of oppression. He is symbolic of the struggle against racism and bigotry, and his participation in these PSAs will have a powerful impact.?

Mandela?s involvement in the project is significant because it is a very rare exception to the policy announced in June 2004 that he was retiring from public life and would not be able to participate in new projects. The timing of the PSA debut was significant in that it was the same week in 1994 when the first democratic election was held in South Africa. April 27 is celebrated as ?Freedom Day? because it was the first day that all adults, regardless of race, could vote.

These unique and important messages, recorded recently, feature Mandela addressing the audience in a very personal and direct way on the subject of tolerance for people of different colors, religions and national origins.

Mandela was the first President of South Africa to be elected in fully-representative democratic elections. Before his presidency he was the leader of the antiapartheid movement and was imprisoned for 27 years by the apartheid government. Upon his release, he helped steer South Africa to a policy of reconciliation, and--against all odds--facilitated a peaceful transition to a fully-representative democracy for the country. In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with F.W. De Klerk, and in 1994 he was elected his country?s first black president. Since retiring from office, Mandela has continued to be an internationally admired figure and moral authority of immense stature.