Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African political activist, co-winner of Nobel Peace Prize with F.W. de Klerk in 1993, and in 1994 he became the first President of South Africa to be elected in fully-representative democratic elections. Mandela's inauguration brought together the largest number of Heads of State since the funeral of US President John F. Kennedy in 1963. After he retired the presidency in 1999, he went on to become an advocate for a variety of social and human rights organizations and greater international cooperation. He was one of the world's most visible figures regarding race relations and was a symbol to many people of the struggle for racial equality.