Nelson Mandela

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“In Africa there is a concept known as ‘ubuntu’ – the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Let your greatness bloom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Disabled children are equally entitled to an exciting and brilliant future.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The virtue and the strength of UWC is that it provides small, but powerful cells of innovation, catalysts for change, breaking barriers of habit and opening broader vistas of experience for both pupils and educationalists.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The time has come to accept in our hearts and minds that with freedom comes responsibility.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Only through hardship, sacrifice and militant action can freedom be won. The struggle is my life. I will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Racism is a blight on the human conscience. The idea that any people can be inferior to another, to the point where those who consider themselves superior define and treat the rest as subhuman, denies the humanity even of those who elevate themselves to the status of gods.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A new society cannot be created by reproducing the repugnant past, however refined or enticingly repackaged.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Peace is the greatest weapon for development that any person can have.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Few things make the life of a parent more rewarding and sweet as successful children.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The curious beauty of African music is that it uplifts even as it tells a sad tale. You may be poor, you may have only a ramshackle house, you may have lost your job, but that song gives you hope.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“For a revolution is not just a question of pulling a trigger; its purpose is to create a fair just society.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Where you stand depends on where you sit.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“By ancestry, I was born to rule.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A free press is one of the pillars of democracy.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“To deny people of their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. To impose on them a wretched life of huger and deprivation is to dehumanize them. But such has been the terrible fate of all black persons in our country under the system of apartheid.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you want to change the world, help the women.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I was not born with a hunger to be free, I was born free.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We can’t win a war, but we can win an election.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Lead from the front – but don t leave your base behind.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The time comes in the life of any nation when there remains only two choices – submit or fight.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Each of us is as intimately attached to the soil of this beautiful country as are the famous jacaranda trees of Pretoria and the mimosa trees of the bushveld – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Whenever I am with energetic young people, I feel like a recharged battery.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I cannot and will not give any undertaking at a time when I, and you, the people, are not free. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Adversity cleanses the lethargies of man.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“You see, when there is danger, a good leader takes the front line. But when there is celebration, a good leader stays in the back room. If you want the cooperation of human beings around you, make them feel that they are important. And you do that by being humble.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We don’t have to be victims of our past, that we can let go of our bitterness, and that all of us can achieve greatness.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Quitting is leading too.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I am not an optimist, but a great believer of hope.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Fools multiply when wise men are silent.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don’t have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Freedom is meaningless if people cannot put food in their stomachs, if they can have no shelter, if illiteracy and disease continue to dog them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No matter what the past has dealt you, don’t let it destroy your future.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Information is a basic human right and the fundamental foundation for the formation of democratic institutions.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I learned that to humiliate another person is to make him suffer an unnecessarily cruel fate. Even as a boy, I defeated my opponents without dishonoring them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“To the youth of today, I also have a wish to make: be the scriptwriters of your destiny and feature yourselves as stars that showed the way towards a brighter future.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Freedom is indivisible; the chains on any one of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The United States of America is a threat to world peace.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you make one gift this year, make it the gift of knowledge.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The wounds that cannot be seen are more painful than those that can be treated by a doctor.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Children are the most important asset in a country. For them to become that asset, they must receive education and love from their parents.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful: those in command of immense market power and those who dare to fashion the world in their own image.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The time comes in the life of any nation when there remain only two choices – submit or fight. That time has now come to South Africa. We shall not submit and we have no choice but to hit back by all means in our power in defence of our people, our future, and our freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Those who conduct themselves with morality, integrity and consistency need not fear the forces of inhumanity and cruelty.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Those who can’t imagine change reveal the deficits of their imaginations, not the difficulty of change.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Take it upon yourself where you live to make people around you joyful and full of hope.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The death sentence is a barbaric act.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“My dream would be a multicultural society, one that is diverse and where every man, woman and child are treated equally. I dream of a world where all people of all races work together in harmony.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is no future without forgiveness.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No form of violence can ever be excused in a society that wishes to call itself decent.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Soccer is one of the most unifying activities amongst us.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When we read we are able to travel to many places, meet many people and understand the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our economic approach to food and its distribution reflects our basic moral values.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“MY greatest regret in life is that I never became the heavyweight boxing champion ofthe world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If we do not do something to prevent it, Africa’s animals, and the places in which they live, will be lost to our world, and her children, forever. Before it is too late, we need your help to lay the foundation that will preserve this precious legacy long after we are gone.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Thinking too well of people often allows them to be better than they otherwise would.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Success in politics demands that you must take your people into confidence about your views and state them very clearly, very politely, very calmly, but nevertheless, state them openly.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“To truly lead one’s people, one must also truly know them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our society needs to re-establish a culture of caring.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I learned to have the patience to listen when people put forward their views, even if I think those views are wrong. You can’t reach a just decision in a dispute unless you listen to both sides.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is nothing like a fixed, steady aim, with an honorable purpose. It dignifies your nature, and insures your success.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I greet you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The truth is we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The message of reconciliation, of nation-building, of granting amnesty, indemnity, has struck a powerful, favorable chord. And people can understand that we’re here not for purposes of retribution but to forget the past and to build our country.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I believe that in the end that it is kindness and accommodation that are all the catalysts for real change.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The past is a rich resource on which we can draw in order to make decisions for the future, but it does not dictate our choices. We should look back at the past and select what is good, and leave behind what is bad.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A society that does not value its older people denies its roots and endangers its future. Let us strive to enhance their capacity to support themselves for as long as possible and, when they cannot do so anymore, to care for them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savor their songs.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When we dehumanise and demonise our opponents, we abandon the possibility of peacefully resolving our differences, and seek to justify violence against them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our hope is that the elementary reading of comics will lead to the joy of reading good books.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I was neglected by my family because I had disappointed them – I’d run away from being forced into an arranged marriage, which was a big blow to them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our task is not to liberate the oppressed, but to liberate the oppressors.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A bright future beckons. The onus is on us, through hard work, honesty and integrity, to reach for the stars.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No problem is so deep that it cannot be overcome, given the will of all parties, through discussion and negotiation rather than force and violence.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Running taught me valuable lessons. In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Jinnah is a constant source of inspiration for all those who are fighting against racial and group discrimination.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is no passion to be found playing small.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I could not imagine that the future I was walking toward could compare in any way to the past that I was leaving behind.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There are times when a leader must move out ahead of the flock, go off in a new direction, confident that he is leading his people the right way.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is a constant struggle between good an evil in the world. It is up to good people to choose the right side.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The Good News borne by our risen Messiah who chose not one race, who chose not one country, who chose not one language, who chose not one tribe, who chose all of humankind!” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Let us join hands and build a truly South African nation.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Only armchair politicians are immune from committing mistakes. Errors are inherent in political action.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Disasters will always come and go, leaving their victims either completely broken or steeled and seasoned and better able to face the next crop of challenges that may occur.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination…” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Racism is a blight on the human conscience.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our differences are our strength as a species and as a world community.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Each of us, as citizens, has a role to play in creating a better world for our children.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is my greatest wish that the Children’s Fund should continue to be a beacon of hope and light.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“None of us, acting alone, can achieve the success.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Out of the experience of extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud…” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It never hurts to think too highly of a person; often they become ennobled and act better because of it.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The march to freedom is irreversible.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I enjoyed the discipline and solitariness of long-distance running, which allowed me to escape from the hurly-burly of school life.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Political division, based on color, is entirely artificial; and when it disappears, so will the domination of one color group by another.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The victory of democracy in South Africa is the common achievement of all humanity.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The path of those who preach love, and not hatred, is not easy. They often have to wear a crown of thorns.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“My son has died of AIDS.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Whose life testifies to the truth that there is no shame in being oppressed: Those who should be ashamed are they who oppress others.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Without education, your children can never really meet the challenges they will face. So it’s very important to give children education and explain that they should play a role for their country.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“From the poorest of countries to the richest of nations, education is the key to moving forward in any society.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If our expectations, if our fondest prayers and dreams, are not realized then we should all bear in mind that the greatest glory of living lies not in never falling but in rising every time you fall.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great, you can be that generation.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The Liberty Bell is “a very significant symbol for the entire democratic world.”” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is a universal respect and even admiration for those who are humble and simple by nature, and who have absolute confidence in all human beings irrespective of their social status.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“In the end, reconciliation is a spiritual process, which requires more than just a legal framework. It has to happen in the hearts and minds of people.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Great anger and violence can never build a nation.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is not beyond our power to create a world in which all children have access to a good education.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Freedom can never be taken for granted. Each generation must safeguard it and extend it. Your parents and elders sacrificed much so that you should have freedom without suffering what they did. Use this precious right to ensure that the darkness of the past never returns.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The best weapon is to sit down and talk.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“True reconciliation does not consist in merely forgetting the past.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The call now is for each of us to ask ourselves: are we doing all we can to help build the country of our dreams?” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Freedom would be meaningless without security in the home and in the streets.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Blaming things on the past does not make them better.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The power of imagination created the illusion that my vision went much farther than the naked eye could actually see.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Other people have qualities that may be better than your own. Let them express them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete. Where there is poverty and sickness, including AIDS, where human beings are being oppressed, there is more work to be done. Our work is for freedom for all…” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Know your enemy – and learn about his favorite sport.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The day I am afraid to do, that is the day I am no longer fit to lead.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When I walked out of the gate I knew that if I continued to hate these people I was still in prison.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is in the character of growth that we should learn from both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We owe our children – the most vulnerable citizens in any society – a life free from violence and fear.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We must nurture tolerance, collective wisdom, and democracy.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I have found Jews to be more broad-minded than most whites on issues of race and politics, perhaps because they themselves have historically been victims of prejudice.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated. Any nation that is progressive is led by people who have had the privilege of studying.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you are stimulated by what you do, you never get tired.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you are negotiating you must do so in a spirit of reconciliation, not from the point of view of issuing ultimatums.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We recall our terrible past so that we can deal with it, to forgive where forgiveness is necessary, without forgetting; to ensure that never again will such inhumanity tear us apart; and to move ourselves to eradicate a legacy that lurks dangerously as a threat to our democracy.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is my deepest conviction that the children should be seen and heard as our most treasured assets.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Freedom alone is not enough without light to read at night, without time or access to water to irrigate your farm, without the ability to catch fish to feed your family.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice. Such is the value of music.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I would like it to be said: here lies a man who has done his duty on earth.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Strong convictions are the secret of surviving deprivation; your spirit can be full even when your stomach is empty.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Lead from the back – and let others believe they are in front.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The world remains beset by so much human suffering, poverty and deprivation. It is in your hands to make of our world a better one for all, especially the poor, vulnerable and marginalized.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We speak here of the challenge of the dichotomies of war and peace, violence and non-violence, racism and human dignity, oppression and repression and liberty and human rights, poverty and freedom from want.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“As long as many of our people still live in utter poverty, as long as children still live under plastic covers, as long as many of our people are still without jobs, no South African should rest and wallow in the joy of freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The very right to be human is denied every day to hundreds of millions of people as a result of poverty, the unavailability of basic necessities such as food, jobs, water and shelter, education, health care and a healthy environment.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Tread softly, Brathe peacefully, Laugh hysterically.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We have laid the foundation for a better life. Things that were unimaginable a few years ago have become everyday reality. I belong to the generation of leaders for whom the achievement of democracy was the defining challenge.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I found solitary confinement the most forbidding aspect of prison life. There is no end and no beginning; there is only one’s mind, which can begin to play tricks. Was that a dream or did it really happen? One begins to question everything.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Hating clouds the mind. It gets in the way of strategy. Leaders cannot afford to hate.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The brave man is not the one who has no fears, he is the one who triumphs over his fears.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Nothing is black or white.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Young people are capable, when aroused, of bringing down the towers of oppression and raising the banners of freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We can’t afford to be killing one another.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A government which uses force to maintain its rule teaches the oppressed to use force to oppose it.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Your playing small does not serve the world. Who are you not to be great?” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you don’t allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they can never like you. And you can never build that instrument of collective leadership.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is a grave error for any leader to be oversensitive in the face of criticism.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Education has become a very powerful weapon in the struggle to produce a well-developed person.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“You encourage people by seeing the good in them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Che Guevara’s life is an inspiration for every human being who loves freedom. We will always honor his memory.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Be a life long student, read as many books as possible.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“My family is very large. 42 million.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Only 50 years ago persons with intellectual disabilities were scorned, isolated and neglected. Today, they are able to attend school, become employed and assimilate into their local community.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is no such thing as part freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Since the dawn of history, mankind has honoured and respected brave and honest people.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Teach the children that Africans are not one iota inferior to Europeans.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We can’t fight AIDS unless we do much more to fight TB as well.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I told my cellmates about the oppression of the whites and apartheid. I helped organize hunger strikes and the like in my prison.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Israel should withdraw from all the areas which it won from the Arabs in 1967, and in particular Israel should withdraw completely from the Golan Heights, from south Lebanon and from the West Bank.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We forgive but not forgotten.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Artists reach areas far beyond the reach of politicians. Art, especially entertainment and music, is understood by everybody, and it lifts the spirits and the morale of those who hear it.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Even behind prison walls I can see the heavy clouds and the blue sky over the horizon.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I am fundamentally an optimist.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Who could doubt that sport is a crucial window for the propagation of fair play and justice? After all, fair play is a value that is essential to sport.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“You mustn’t compromise your principles, but you mustn’t humiliate the opposition. No one is more dangerous than one who is humiliated.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Greece is the mother of democracy and South Africa is its youngest daughter.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“In the 21st Century, the capacity to communicate will almost certainly be a key human right.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When you are behind bars with no hope of release, you need to find strength wherever you can. Personally, I found strength in Michael Jackson.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The Children’s Hospital will be a credible demonstration of the commitment of African leaders to place the rights of children at the forefront. Nothing less would be enough.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Appearances matter – and remember to smile.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is not the kings and generals that make history, but the masses of the people.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“To be the father of a nation is a great honor, but to be the father of a family is a greater joy.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Poetry cannot block a bullet or still a sjambok, but it can bear witness to brutality-thereby cultivating a flower in a graveyard.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Once a person is determined to help themselves, there is nothing that can stop them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Times change, we need to change as well.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I approach every problem with optimism.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The history of struggle is rich with stories of heroes and heroines – some of them leaders, some of them followers, all of them deserve to be remembered.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“One of the sad realities today is that very few people, especially young people, read books. Unless we can find imaginative ways of addressing this reality, future generations are in danger of losing their history.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“You can start changing our world for the better daily, no matter how small the action.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The cause of Communism is the greatest cause in the history of mankind!” ~ Nelson Mandela

“This must be a world of democracy and respect for human rights, a world freed from the horrors of poverty, hunger, deprivation and ignorance, relieved of the threat and the scourge of civil wars and external aggression and unburdened of the great tragedy of millions forced to become refugees.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The most difficult matter is not so much to change the world as yourself.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There are few misfortunes in this world that you cannot turn into a personal trimuph if you have the iron will and the neccessary skill.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Keep your friends close – and your rivals even closer.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Forget the past.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our single most important challenge is therefore to help establish a social order in which the freedom of the individual will truly mean the freedom of the individual.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“With freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk has not ended yet.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Ethiopia always has a special place in my imagination and the prospect of visiting Ethiopia attracted me more strongly than a trip to France, England, and America combined. I felt I would be visiting my own genesis, unearthing the roots of what made me an African.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I am the captain of my soul.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Where people of goodwill get together and transcend their differences for the common good, peaceful and just solutions can be found even for those problems which seem most intractable.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“In my country we go to prison first and then become President. ” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Negotiation and discussion are the greatest weapons we have for promoting peace and development.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I’ve never had a single moment of depression, because I know my cause will triumph.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The Commonwealth makes the world safe for diversity.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Give a child love, laughter and peace, not AIDS.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“You will achieve more in this world through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No power on this earth can destroy the thirst for human dignity.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A new world will be won not by those who stand at a distance with their arms folded, but by those who are in the arena, whose garments are torn by storms and whose bodies are maimed in the course of the contest.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“For me, nonviolence was not a moral principle but a strategy; there is no moral goodness in using an ineffective weapon.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you are poor, you are not likely to live long.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A movement without vision would be a movement without moral foundation.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A garden was one of the few thing in prison that one could control. To plant a seed, watch it grow, to tend it then harvest it, offered a simple but enduring satisfaction. The sense of being the custodian of this small patch of earth offered a taste of freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you want the cooperation of humans around you, you must make them feel they are important – and you do that by being genuine and humble.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Honour belongs to those who never forsake the truth even when things seem dark and grim, who try over and over again, who are never discouraged by insults, humiliation and even defeat.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“ As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When the history of our times is written, will we be remembered as the generation that turned our backs in a moment of global crisis or will it be recorded that we did the right thing?” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses. We must never forget that it is our duty to protect this environment.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many people embraced me, including my enemies, and that is what I normally tell other people who say those who are struggling for liberation in their country are terrorists.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Sport has the power to inspire and unite people. In Africa, soccer enjoys great popularity and has a particular place in the hearts of people.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We slaughter one another in our words and attitudes. We slaughter one another in the stereotypes and mistrust that linger in our heads, and the words of hate we spew from our lips.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Education is the great engine to personal development.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is nothing more important in life than giving. Tolerance is forged when people look beyond their own desires.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“An organisation can only carry out its mandate if there is discipline, and where there is no discipline there can be no real progress.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I started to make a study of the art of war and revolution and, whilst abroad, underwent a course in military training. If there was to be guerrilla warfare, I wanted to be able to stand and fight with my people and to share the hazards of war with them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Safety and security don’t just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I want to sleep for eternity with a broad smile on my face. I want those who remain behind to say this man has done his duty.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is nobody more dangerous than one who has been humiliated, even when you humiliate him rightly.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The world is truly round and seems to start and end with those we love.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The more informed you are, the less arrogant and aggressive you are.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Force is the only language the imperialists can hear, and no country became free without some sort of violence.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There is nothing I fear more than waking up without a program that will help me bring a little happiness to those with no resources, those who are poor, illiterate, and ridden with terminal disease.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“One effect of sustained conflict is to narrow our vision of what is possible. Time and time again, conflicts are resolved through shifts that were unimaginable at the start.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I will use the rest of my life to help the poor overcome the problems confronting them – poverty is the greatest challenge facing humanity. That is why I build schools; I want to free people from poverty and illiteracy.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Politics can be strengthened by music, but music has a potency that defies politics.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I pay tribute to the endless heroism of youth.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When I walked out of prison, that was my mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Courage is not the absence of fear – it s inspiring others to move beyond it.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If the ANC does to you what the apartheid government did to you, then you must do to the ANC what you did to the apartheid government.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Poverty is not natural; it is man-made.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“As long as women are bound by poverty and as long as they are looked down upon, human rights will lack substance.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No single person can liberate a country. You can only liberate a country if you act as a collective.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“We should never forget those on whose shoulders we stand and those who paid the supreme price for freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow mindedness.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“My respect for human beings is based not on the colour of a man’s skin nor authority he may wield, but purely on merit.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Prison itself is a tremendous education in the need for patience and perseverance. It is above all a test of one’s commitment.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“For me, survival is the ability to cope with difficulties, with circumstances, and to overcome them.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“The curious beauty about African music is that it uplifts even as it tells a sad story.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Religion is one of the most important forces in the world. Whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew, or a Hindu, religion is a great force, and it can help one have command of one’s own morality, one’s own behavior, and one’s own attitude.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Although I am a gregarious person, I love solitude even more.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When we can sit in the face of insanity or dislikes and be free from the need to make it different, then we are free.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Through its imperialist system Britain brought about untold suffering of millions of people. And this is an historical fact. To be able to admit this would increase the respect, you know, which we have for British institutions.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Whether you change the linen or stitch up wounds, cook the food or dispense the medicines, it is in your hands to help build a public service worthy of all those who gave their lives for the dream of democracy.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Nonviolence is a good policy when the conditions permit.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Today we are a nation at peace with itself, united in our diversity, not only proclaiming but living out the contention that South Africa belongs to all who live in it. We take our place amongst the nations of the world, confident and proud in being an African country.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is music and dancing that make me at peace with the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“When those in power deny you of freedom the only path to freedom is power.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“If you want to preach a revolutionary message, wear a suit.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“Do not allow your anger to control your reason, but rather your reason to control your anger.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“There are many people who feel that it is useless and futile to continue talking about peace and non-violence against a government whose only reply is savage attacks on an unarmed and defenceless people.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“In order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations.” ~ Nelson Mandela