U.N. declares day to honor Nelson Mandela

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The United Nations declared July 18 "Nelson Mandela International Day" to recognize the former South African president's contributions to peace and freedom.

The 192-member U.N. General Assembly adopted the resolution Tuesday to honor the Nobel Peace Prize laureate's long commitment to promoting conflict resolution, improved race relations, human rights, reconciliation and gender equality, the non-government organization said Wednesday in a release.

Nelson Mandela International Day will be observed on Mandela's birthday, beginning in 2010 when the former anti-apartheid leader will turn 92 years old.

Mandela spent more than a quarter-century imprisoned in the notorious Robben Island detention center off the coast of Cape Town. After his 1990 release, Mandela became the first president elected in a fully representative democratic ballot in post-apartheid South Africa. He served as president from 1994 to 1999 in accordance with the country's constitution.