As he tucked them back in bed, he glanced atthe "Free Mandela" poster above his daughter'sbed.

"I thought that poster is wrong, not only isMandela free, Mandela has always been free," Gatessaid to cheers from the crowd.

In his introduction of Mandela, HarvardPresident Neil L. Rudenstine recalled the sameday.

"For many people around the world, one of themost enduring memories of our time is the image ofNelson Mandela emerging from prison, with a vigorin his step that belied his years of suffering,free at last," Rudenstine said. "We knew that wewere watching not simply one man walking out ofbondage, but the emancipation of a whole nation."

In his introductory prayer, Plummer Professorof Christian Morals Peter J. Gomes thanked God forMandela and the example he set for the world.

"Prophets have told us of [this] day when theold shall see visions and the young shall dreamdreams," Gomes said. "He is a renewal of hope,when hope itself has died."

In his remarks, Botchwey, director of AfricaResearch and Programs at the CID, expressed whatothers later said encapsulated their experience.

I cannot explain how "privileged I feel and howvery proud I am to be part of it," Botchwey said."He will go down as one of the century's mostenduring legacies."

In response, Mandela had another anecdote.

The South African leader once became involvedin a dispute on the phone to a woman who, withoutknowing his identity, dismissed him, saying hewould never be her equal.

"I wish she were here today," Mandela said