New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a May Day rally marking International Workers' Day in New York, on May 1, 2026.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said solidarity is people choosing one another, sometimes even over themselves.
He spoke these words as he honoured Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected president, celebrating Mandela’s extraordinary leadership and enduring influence.
He stood before a packed auditorium at the first-ever Nelson Mandela Global Leadership Forum in New York, capturing the spirit of Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18.
The forum aims to facilitate conversations about the leadership challenges shaping our world today, according to the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
