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Twice a year, African, Caribbean, Asian and Latin American students from universities and colleges across Britain meet at the Black Students’ Conference of the National Union of Students. Black Union Officers elected by the students at their university or college come together to meet, learn and organise around issues that affect Black students and wider issues of social and global justice.

It was called Caribbean Question Time UK, with the challenging subtitle: “We can make a difference.”

And that was the exact message passed on throughout the evening, as a Caribbean-British audience met MPs from the country’s three main political partiesThe ornate hall in Westminster – a stone’s throw from the Houses of Parliament – was the perfect setting for a discussion about the role of being Caribbean in modern British society.

The depth of oppression in South Africa created Nelson Mandela, a revolutionary par excellence, and many others like him: Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Albert Lutuli, Yusuf Dadoo and Robert Sobukwe — all men of extraordinary courage, wisdom, and generosity. In India, too, thousands went to jail or kissed the gallows, in their crusade for freedom from the enslavement that was British rule. In The Gods are Athirst, Anatole France, the French novelist, seems to say to all:

Last month, Simon and I were invited to the prestigious GG2 Leadership Awards at the Park Plaza Hotel, Westminster. At the time, I thought we were simply going along as guests, but I was filled with shock and pride when I looked at the award nominees to see Simon’s name there. Working in race equality is often a thankless task, therefore this recognition not only of OBV’s work, but of the importance of race equality, we felt like winners already.

Diane Abbott MP speaking in Parliament earlier this week about the death of Nelson Mandela.

The Sikh Gurus championed human freedom, equality and harmony amongst people of different faiths for a better world. In line with these teachings and with the principles of Sikh Gurus, Nelson Mandela inspired others and preached multi racial harmony and equality for all irrespective of colour and race and was a beacon of hope for people across the world.

He brought about a profound change in the hearts and minds of white South Africans and united a divided nation.

"Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice." Nelson Mandela.

No doubt like many of you I've been thinking a lot about Nelson Mandela. I've also been thinking about how his life and death affects our political fortunes both at home and further afield.

Leaders from around the world have converged on a football stadium in Soweto South Africa to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela. President Barak Obama will lead the tributes from international State figures. Here from the UK the Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour’s Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg will all be in attendance.

In her final article for Operation Black Vote, intern Mallory Moench takes on the contentious issue of caste discrimination. It is a well studied excellent piece of writing. I’d like to personally thank Mallory and Nilay, who have spent the last two months working at OBV the very best in the future. I’m convinced they will have great futures as political writers - Simon Woolley.

OBV speaks exclusively to Aneeta Prem, a long time friend of OBV who supported the OBV Magistrates Shadowing Scheme and has recently gained prominence for her charity’s role in releasing three women from 30 years of alleged slavery in south London.