Nelson Mandela Quotes

When we decided to take up arms, it was because the only other choice was to surrender and to submit to slavery.

I did not enjoy the violence of boxing so much as the science of it.

The anchor of all my dreams is the collective wisdom of mankind as a whole.

Soccer is one of the most unifying activities amongst us.

I am convinced that floods of personal disaster can never drown a determined revolutionary nor can the cumulus of misery that accompanies tragedy suffocate him.

When I walked out of prison, that was my mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both.

The victory of democracy in South Africa is the common achievement of all humanity.

Education has become a very powerful weapon in the struggle to produce a well-developed person.

The freedom we enjoy is a richly textured gift handcrafted by ordinary folk

If we want any significant development, we must co-opt civil society.

I understand that the legal position is under review in South Africa and that there will soon be a broader set of organizations to which donors can give and claim tax deductions.

In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.

The Liberty Bell is "a very significant symbol for the entire democratic world."

The curious beauty about African music is that it uplifts even as it tells a sad story.

Let the efforts of us all, prove that he [Martin Luther King] was not a mere dreamer when he spoke of the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace being more precious than diamonds or silver or gold

I am fundamentally an optimist.

Adversity cleanses the lethargies of man

The greatest single challenge facing our globalised world is to combat and eradicate its disparities.

Intervention only works when the people concerned seem to be keen for peace.

[I] read Anne Frank's diary [while imprisoned] on Robben Island and derived much encouragement from it.

The death sentence is a barbaric act . . . It is a reflection of the animal instinct still in human beings.

We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.

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.

I believe that in the end that it is kindness and accommodation that are all the catalysts for real change.

We must look within ourselves, become responsible and provide fresh solutions if we ever want to do more than complain,or make excuses.

The habit of attending to small things and of appreciating small courtesies is one of the important marks of a good person.

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

If you don’t intend having a compromise, you don’t negotiate at all.

Other people have qualities that may be better than your own. Let them express them.

The Commonwealth makes the world safe for diversity

In the 21st Century, the capacity to communicate will almost certainly be a key human right.

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

We must nurture tolerance, collective wisdom, and democracy.

Those who can't imagine change reveal the deficits of their imaginations, not the difficulty of change.

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.

As we judge others so are we judged by others. The suspicious will always be tormented by suspicion.

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

I realized that they could take everything from me except my mind and my heart. They could not take those things. Those things I still had control over. And I decided not to give them away.

If you are stimulated by what you do, you never get tired

South Africans must recall the terrible past so that we can deal with it, forgiving where forgiveness is necessary but never forgetting.

Good men and women can be mobilized to ensure that South Africa is united and that the spirit of reconciliation is strengthened and that progress in this country takes place as fast as it can.

We recall the joy and excitement of a nation that had found itself, the collective relief that we had stepped out of our restrictive past, and the expectant air of walking into a brighter future.

It is my deepest conviction that the children should be seen and heard as our most treasured assets.

You encourage people by seeing the good in them.

We can build a society grounded on friendship and our common humanity - a society founded on tolerance. That is the only road open to us.

He knew when to compromise. Yet he never compromised his principles. He was a militant. Yet a militant who knew how to plan, assess concrete situations and emerge with rational solutions to problems.

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

You negotiate in bad faith if you do not forgive your adversary.

The real meaning of the spoken word has to be demonstrated by practical deeds

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.