F.W. de Klerk
An attorney who held a number of South African ministerial
posts, F. W. de Klerk became both the leader of South Africa's
National Party and the country's president in 1989. Previously
known as a political centrist, upon becoming president,
de Klerk lifted the ban on the African National Congress
and other political parties, released Nelson Mandela from
prison, and essentially brought apartheid to an end, making
possible a new constitution guaranteeing the principle of
one person, one vote. He now heads the F. W. de Klerk Foundation,
which works for peace in societies divided along cultural,
ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines. In 1993, along with Nelson Mandela,
de Klerk was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to dismantle apartheid.
Resources for Teachers
and Students
Reflections on Working
Towards Peace