UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called on the world to draw inspiration from former South African President Nelson Mandela to build a better future.

"Today, as in every Mandela Day, we honor Madiba's memory by calling on people around the world to make a difference, as he did," said Guterres, using MandFela's clan name.

"He understood that we each have in our hands the ability to create a better world -- a world where people are treated equally and fairly, regardless of race, faith or gender," he told a UN General Assembly event on the occasion of Nelson Mandela International Day.

Mandela stands today as a beacon of universal values: peace, forgiveness, humility, integrity, passion, respect and service, said Guterres. "Madiba showed us that these are not just words or vague ideals, but concrete actions that we can all take. We can all be humble and respectful, we can all forgive, we can all work to make the world more peaceful."

Nelson Mandela International Day, or Mandela Day, is an annual international day in honor of Nelson Mandela, celebrated on July 18, Mandela's birthday. This year marks the centenary of Mandela.

Mandela died in December 2013 at the age of 95.

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