. >> reporter: an icon not only for his fellow countrymen -- >> viva mandela! viva! >> reporter: -- but for the entire world. "nelson mandela." >> ladies and gentlemen. >> this is "headliners "headliners & legends" with lester holt. >> he is lauded the world over as a man of peace, a champion for the downtrodden. he suffered at the hands of racism and endured decades in prison only to emerge with his dignity intact, his spirit unbroken freedom fighter, ex-prisoner, nation builder. nelson mandela's legacy serves as a shining example not only for the people of the world today but for generations to come. >> reporter: nelson mandela's life begins far away from the turmoil, struggles and ultimate triumphs that will define his life. here in the transsky province of south africa, 550 miles south of johannesburg, mandela is born on july 18th, 1918. the name he is given will prove in a sense prophetic. >> nelson mandela's name is holy machel which we translate as troublemaker. >> reporter: he was given the name melson in missionary school lives a quiet, simple life. >> he liv

. >> viva mandela! viva! f people along the route in cape town in all colors there to welcome his release. >> we've never seen anything like it before and probably never will again. >> reporter: mandela and his entourage arrive at city hall in cape town. thousands have gathered to see mandela and hear his first public words in almost three decades. >> and the whole world held its breath. so did we in south africa. what will be the first words that mr. mandela is going to say? >> i bid you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all! i stand here before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant for you, the people. >> we really felt that this was a new beginning, a new dawn, a new day. >> reporter: nelson mandela, after 27 years in prison, is a free man, free to lead his party and his people into a new future. but that future is still uncertain. >>> 1990. after 27 years in prison, 71-year-old nelson mandela is a free man. >> yes! >> reporter: he must now adapt to a world completely changed from w

tens of thousands singing, dancing, and screaming nelson mandela's name. vivanelson mandela. >> the memorial service at stadium in johannesburg, with 94,000 seat soccer facility is where nelson mandela made the final public appearance in 2010. today, a grateful word gathered at stadium to say goodbye. >> remember him for the righteousness which he has done. >> despite the enormous security concerns people streamed into the stadium unchecked by metal detectors, working dignitaries arrived including four united states presidents, obama, public, clinton and carter. president obama honored his legacy. >> nelson mandela taught us the power of action and ideas. the response of of reason and argument, and the reason to study those would you agree with and those who you do not agree. >> 90 countries glue -- sent in representatives from argentina to being pakistan. memorials large and small to the man who triumphed over apartheid. >> the morning cries but we must celebrate the life of a great leader. >> after today's memorial his body will lie in state for three days be

. >> nelson mandela, viva. >> the memorial service at the stadium in johannesburg, with 94 ,000 seat 010 and together a grateful world gathered to say good by. >> remember him for the righteousness which he has

madiba mandela. viva! thank you very much. to the president, and the pretty president -- >>> we welcome you back to our live continuing coverage of this memorial for nelson mandela. reached the noon hour here. 5:00 a.m. east coast time in the united states on a very t unpleasant day weatherwise. heavy rain, lots of it, increasing winds. most of the dignitaries you will see are, a, behind bullet-proof glass, b, a layer of glass separates them from the crowd behind them, but importantly, they are also covered from the rain, though. in fairness, some of it a falling close to sideways. in the v.i.p. section, as the formerer leader of south africa apparently e joys a piece of gum, you'll see people from all over the world, and the patchwork of politics is very much a part of this day. the official ceremony is getting under way, even though we don't yet i have in attendance, for example, all of the u.s. presidents, all of the official invited guests. we can report traffic is fairly well bottled up. there's a lot of pedestrian traffic

. >> nelson mandela, viva. >> the memorial service at the stadium in johannesburg, with 94 ,000 seat soccer facility is where nelson mandela made the final appearance in 2010 and together a grateful world gathered to say good by. >> remember him for the righteousness which he has continue. >> despite the security concerns people streamed into the stadium unchecked by metal detectors, world dignitaries including four united states presidents, obama, bush, clinton and carter. president obama honored his legacy. >> delaware taught us the power of action and he taught us the power of ideas. the response of reason. and argument. the need to study not only those who you agree with but, also, those who you don't agree with. >> more than 90 countries flew in representatives from argentina to pakistan to trinidad to china. on the streets of south africa memorials large and paul for a man who triumphs over apartheid. >> we can try but we must celebrate the life of a great leader. >> after today's memorial, his body will lie in state if three days before it is buried in his childhood village on

madiba mandela. viva! thank you very much. sident, and the pretty president -- >>> we welcome you back to our live continuing coverage of this memorial for nelson mandela. reached the noon hour here. 5:00 a.m. east coast time in the united states on a very t unpleasant day weatherwise. heavy rain, lots of it, increasing winds. most of the dignitaries you will see are, a, behind bullet-proof glass, b, a layer of glass separates them from

mandela greeted the world. >> i greet you all. in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all, amandla! >> viva! chner: this was the man who had made history and challenged a world to confront itself. >> the demand in this country is for a nonracial society. >> teichner: mandela-- rebel, prisoner, leader, inspiration. >> africa, mayibuye! >> teichner: when i first came to south africa in 1987, apartheid was the way of life. blacks had no vote, no power, no say. it was a brutal, racist system that in 1948 was made the law of the land. >> the laws were unjust laws, and they did not oblige obedience. >> teichner: archbishop desmond tutu remembers how it began, as mandela rose in the ranks of leadership of a civil rights group called the african national congress, the a.n.c. >> they were the revolutionaries of their day. they were the wild young men. >> teichner: former "time" magazine editor rick stengel spent countless hours in private conversation with mandela while collaborating on mandela's autobiography. >> mandela went to johannesburg as a young man and was treated in the terrible way that you

viva! >> pelley: tonight, a man for a rebel, a prisoner, a president. nelson mandeladead at 95. >> take your guns, your knives and throw them into the sea! >> pelley: a revolutionary who fought for liberty, an icon who embraced peace.

mandela. >> reporter: a flood of humanity poured into the stadium in celebration shouting viva madiba.ijuana encomo remembers walk -- mary encomo remembers walking right through this very stadium. >> we are bidding him good-bye. it's just to me i get goosebumps talking about it. >> reporter: everywhere you hear personal stories of how mandela changed lives for the better and the people credit his example of fighting for what is right with forgiveness and reconciliation. nelson mandela's body will lie instate in pretoria for three days and then on sunday the burial and final good-bye and a family plot in the small town of qunu. in pretoria, south africa, derek mcginty, wusa9. >>> today also marks the 20th anniversary of the day when mandela and f.w. declerk received the nobel prize for their efforts to bring peace to their country. derek will be reporting from south africa all week and join us friday for a special half hour report on mandela, the man and the message. that's friday, december 13th, 7:00. >>> plenty of us are looking for that quick and easy way to lose weight. when celebri