Nelson mandela quotes

The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children.

No power on this earth can destroy the thirst for human dignity

Educating all of our children must be one of our most urgent priorities. We all know that education, more than anything else, improves our chances of building better lives.

Disabled children are equally entitled to an exciting and brilliant future.

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?

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.

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.

I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles.

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.

I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. 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. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

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

Great anger and violence can never build a nation.

You mustn't compromise your principles, but you mustn't humiliate the opposition. No one is more dangerous than one who is humiliated.

The time is always right to do right

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.

After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.

No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.

Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward.

In judging our progress as individuals we tend to concentrate on external factors such as one's social position, influence and popularity, wealth and standard of education... But internal factors may be even more crucial in assessing one's development as a human being. Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others - qualities which are within easy reach of every soul - are the foundation of one's spiritual life.

The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

Fools multiply when wise men are silent.

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.

Where you stand depends on where you sit.

I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.

No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion.

Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.

Tread softly, Brathe peacefully, Laugh hysterically.

The UN took a strong stand against apartheid; and over the years, an international consensus was built, which helped to bring an end to this iniquitous system. But we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians...

Information is a basic human right and the fundamental foundation for the formation of democratic institutions.

It only seems impossible until it's done.

Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.

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.

It is in the character of growth that we should learn from both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.

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.

A winner is a dreamer who never gives up

We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.

Resentment is like a glass of poison that a man drinks; then he sits down and waits for his enemy to die.

It's not our weaknesses that frighten us. It's our strengths.

An organisation can only carry out its mandate if there is discipline, and where there is no discipline there can be no real progress

Living isn't just about doing for yourself,but what you do for others as well.

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.

Do not allow your anger to control your reason, but rather your reason to control your anger.

Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.

It is not the kings and generals that make history, but the masses of the people.

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.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

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.

Courage is not the absence of fear — it s inspiring others to move beyond it.

Sport has the power to overcome old divisions and create the bond of common aspirations

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.

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.

One of the most difficult things is not to change society - but to change yourself.

Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.

I say to all those leaders, do not look the other way. Do not hesitate... It is within your power to avoid a genocide of humanity.

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

It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.

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

A real leader uses every issue, no matter how serious and sensitive, to ensure that at the end of the debate we should emerge stronger and more united than ever before.

Our task is not to liberate the oppressed, but to liberate the oppressors

A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.

Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.

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.

Apartheid is a crime against humanity. Israel has deprived millions of Palestinians of their liberty and property. It has perpetuated a system of gross racial discrimination and inequality. It has systematically incarcerated and tortured thousands of Palestinians, contrary to the rules of international law. It has, in particular, waged a war against a civilian population, in particular children.

A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference. It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favour. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens.

Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.

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.

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere.

Young people are capable, when aroused, of bringing down the towers of oppression and raising the banners of freedom.

Our fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.

Once a person is determined to help themselves, there is nothing that can stop them.

The time has come to accept in our hearts and minds that with freedom comes responsibility.

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.

Blaming things on the past does not make them better.

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.

It is so easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build.

Appearances matter — and remember to smile.

It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.

We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.

Out of the experience of extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud.

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

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.

There is nothing more dangerous than a humiliated man.

The best weapon is to sit down and talk.

History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.

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.

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.

Our society needs to re-establish a culture of caring.

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.

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.

An educated, enlightened & informed population is one of the surest ways of promoting the health of a democracy

A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.

You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself.

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

Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.

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.

Peace is the greatest weapon for development that any person can have.

Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.

The brave man is not the one who has no fears, he is the one who triumphs over his fears.

Learn to know yourself... to search realistically and regularly the processes of your own mind and feelings.

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.

Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.

Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished

I am the captain of my soul.

Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great, you can be that generation

There is no future without forgiveness

Poverty is not natural; it is man-made

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

It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.

You can start changing our world for the better daily, no matter how small the action.

Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon.

If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.

Thinking is one of the most important weapons in dealing with problems

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.

We know what needs to be done - all that is missing is the will to do it.

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.

We can't win a war, but we can win an election.

In my younger days, I was arrogant - jail helped me to get rid of it. I did nothing but make enemies because of my arrogance.

It is always impossible until it is done.

Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind.

Love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.

One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen.

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.

The USA is a threat to world peace. Who are they to pretend that they are the policemen of the world, the ones that should decide for the people of Iraq what should be done with their government and their leadership. All that [the USA] wants is Iraqi oil. [Blair is] simply the foreign minister of the United States. He is no longer prime minister of Britain.