Quotes by Nelson Mandela (Page 2 of 2)

People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.

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.

Times change, we need to change as well.

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

Quitting is leading too.

Fools multiply when wise men are silent.

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

As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

Nothing is black or white.

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

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.

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.

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.

We cannot blame other people for our troubles. We are not victims of the influx of foreign people into South Africa. We must remember that it was mainly due to the aggressive and hostile policies of the apartheid regime that the economic development of our neighbours was undermined.

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.

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.

It is also the fate of leadership to be misunderstood. It is a grave error for any leader to be oversensitive in the face of criticism, to conduct discussions as if he or she is a schoolmaster talking to less informed and inexperienced learners.

Rhetoric is not important. Actions are.

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.

Together as a nation, we have the obligation to put sunshine into the hearts of our little ones. They are our precious possessions. They deserve what happiness life can offer.

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

We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to believe in the goodness of people.

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

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.

Resentment is a method of self harm. 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.

From the beginning, Mandela and Tambo was besieged with clients. We were not the only African lawyers in South Africa, but we were the only firm of African lawyers. For Africans, we were the firm of first choice and last resort.

Poverty is not natural; it is man-made.

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

There's one place where (Fidel Castro's) Cuba stands out head and shoulders above the rest -- that is in its love for human rights and liberty!

It was not lack of ability that limited my people, but lack of opportunity.

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.

The calm and tolerant atmosphere that prevailed during the elections depicts the type of South Africa we can build. It set the tone for the future. We might have our differences, but we are one people with a common destiny in our rich variety of culture, race and tradition.

We must also know that even before liberation in 1994 there in South Africa were people with resources who tried to share with those who were deprived.

Press Freedom will never be under threat in South Africa for as long as the ANC is the majority party.

Let us not be tempted by those who try to find the unique qualities in a particular group. In this case, among South Africa indigenous people, it reflected what has been evidenced throughout the world.

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.

South Africans have no concept of time and this is also why we can't solve poverty and social problems… It's now 10 years since the fall of the Apartheid government and we cannot blame Apartheid for being tardy.

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

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.

We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.

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

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

We know it well that none of us acting alone can achieve success.

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.

South Africa is the most beautiful place on earth. Admittedly, I am biased but when you combine the natural beauty... and the fact that the region is a haven for Africa's most splendid wildlife... Then I think that we have been blessed with a truly wonderful land.

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.

We cannot proclaim this century the African Century and then ignore the AIDS pandemic, as some political leaders are apt to do. To claim this century the African Century is to declare war on AIDS.

If you want to change the world, help the women.

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

Appearances matter -- and remember to smile.

Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.

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 long as outmoded ways of thinking prevent women from making a meaningful contribution to society, progress will be slow. As long as the nation refuses to acknowledge the equal role of more than half of itself, it is doomed to failure.

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.

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.

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.

A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.

Justice and I became friends, though we were opposites in many ways -- he was extroverted, I was introverted; he was lighthearted, I was serious.

Where you stand depends on where you sit.

Apart from life, a strong constitusion and an abiding connection to the Thembu royal house, the only thing my father bestowed upon me at birth was a name, Rolihlahla.

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

Since the dawn of history, mankind has honoured and respected brave and honest people.

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.

The United States of America is a threat to world 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.

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

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

The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.

I am confident that nobody will accuse me of selfishness if I ask to spend time, while I am still in good health, with my family, my friends and also with myself.

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

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

Our hope is that the elementary reading of comics will lead to the joy of reading good books.

Be a life-long student, read as many books as possible.

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.

Few things make the life of a parent more rewarding and sweet as successful children.

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

If you are poor, you are not likely to live long.

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.

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

Whatever position I occupied, it was the result of colleagues -- of my comrades in the movement -- who had decided in their wisdom to use me for the purpose of focusing the attention of the country and the international community on me.

I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.

I made a mistake by being ejected from the presidency. Next time, I will choose a Cabinet which will allow me to be life President.

Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.

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.

I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing if Arab states do not recognize Israel, within secure borders.

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.

Prison life, fortunately, I spent a lot of years, about 18 years with other prisoners, and, as I say, they enriched your soul.

It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.

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

We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination.

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.

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.

There are many people in South Africa who are rich and who can share those riches with those not so fortunate who have not been able to conquer poverty.

I can't pretend that I'm brave and that I can beat the whole world.

I have been influenced in my thinking by both west and east.

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

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

The education I received was a British education, in which British ideas, British culture, British institutions, were automatically assumed to be superior. There was no such thing as African culture.

I cannot say for certain if there is such a thing as love at first sight, but I do know that the moment I first glimpsed Winnie Nomzamo, I knew that I wanted to have her as my wife.

The names of Dingane and Bambata, Hintsa and Makana, Squngthi and Dalasile, Moshoeshoe and Sekhukhuni, were praised as the glory of the entire African nation. I hoped then that life might offer me the opportunity to serve my people and make my own humble contribution to their freedom struggle.

By ancestry, I was born to rule.

I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.

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.

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.

There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.

Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.

The titanic effort that has brought liberation to South Africa, and ensured the total liberation of Africa, constitutes an act of redemption for the black people of the world.

Even if you have a terminal disease, you don't have to sit down and mope. Enjoy life and challenge the illness that you have.

Leaders in all spheres who are living with HIV should be encouraged, not coerced, to lead by example and disclose their HIV status.

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

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.

To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.

Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will.

When I came to Johannesburg from the countryside, I knew nobody, but many strangers were very kind to me. I then was dragged into politics, and then, subsequently, I became a lawyer.

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.

In countries where innocent people are dying, the leaders are following their blood rather than their brains.

You know, you can only lead them from behind.

There are so many men and women who hold no distinctive positions but whose contribution towards the development of society has been enormous.

I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.

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

After one has been in prison, it is the small things that one appreciates: being able to take a walk whenever one wants, going into a shop and buying a newspaper, speaking or choosing to remain silent. The simple act of being able to control one's person.

Our daily deeds as ordinary South Africans must produce an actual South African reality that will reinforce humanity's belief in justice, strengthen its confidence in the nobility of the human soul, and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all.

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.

I would wear the blue overalls of the fieldworker and often wore round, rimless glasses known as Mazzawati teaglasses. I had a car, and I wore a chauffeur's cap with my overalls. The pose of chauffeur was convenient because I could travel under the pretext of driving my master's car.

I will not leave South Africa, nor will I surrender. 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.

Sabotage did not involve loss of life, and it offered the best hope for future race relations. Bitterness would be kept to a minimum and, if the policy bore fruit, democratic government could become a reality.

In my country we go to prison first and then become President.