Top 689 Quotes & Sayings by Nelson Mandela - Page 8

I always knew that someday I would once again feel the grass under my feet and walk in the sunshine as a free man.

It always seems impossible until its done.

Men come and men go, I have come and I will go when my time comes

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.

Quitting is leading too.

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.

The Commonwealth makes the world safe for diversity

To truly lead one's people, one must also truly know them.

You sharpen your ideas by reducing yourself to the level of the people you are with and a sense of humour and a complete relaxation, even when you're discussing serious things, does help to mobilise friends around you. And I love that.

It is a grave error for any leader to be oversensitive in the face of criticism

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.

All that (Mr. Bush) wants is Iraqi oil.

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.

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

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

We need a fundamental change of mindset with regards to the way we speak and behave about sex and sexuality. Boys and men have a particularly critical role in this regard, changing the chauvinist and demeaning ways sexuality and women were traditionally dealt with in both our actions and speaking.

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.

I have never regarded any man as my superior, either in my life outside or inside prison.

Che Guevara's life is an inspiration for every human being who loves freedom. We will always honor his memory.

I approach every problem with optimism.

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.

Times change, we need to change as well.

We tried in our simple way to lead our life in a manner that may make a difference to those of others.

Even behind prison walls I can see the heavy clouds and the blue sky over the horizon

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

The Church was as concerned with this world as the next: I saw that virtually all of the achievements of Africans seemed to have come about through the missionary work of the Church.

Lead from the front - but don t leave your base behind.

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

My family is very large. 42 million.

Our differences are our strength as a species and as a world community.

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

We should take heart from our own experience and performance. In a cynical world we have become an inspiration to many.

Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way. Universal suffrage on a common voters' roll in a united, democratic and non-racial South Africa is the only way to peace and racial harmony.

I was not born with a hunger to be free, I was born free.

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.

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

The world is truly round and seems to start and end with those we love.

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

There will be life after Mandela. On my last day I want to know that those who remain behind will say: 'The man who lies here has done his duty for his country and his people.'

We should never forget those on whose shoulders we stand and those who paid the supreme price for freedom.

Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.

i love playing and chatting with children...feeding and putting them to bed with a little story, and being away from the family has troubled me throughout my...life. i like relaxing at the house, reading quietly, taking in the sweet smell that comes from the pots, sitting around a table with the family and taking out my wife and children. when you can no longer enjoy these simple pleasures something valuable is taken away from your life and you feel it in your daily work.

I would like it to be said: here lies a man who has done his duty on earth

Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can 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.

AIDS is no longer just a disease, it is a human rights issue.

When we read we are able to travel to many places, meet many people and understand the world.

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.

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.

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

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

Thinking too well of people often allows them to be better than they otherwise would.

I came to accept that I have no right whatsoever to judge others in terms of my own customs, however much I may be proud of such customs.

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.

I pay tribute to the endless heroism of youth.

I greet you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all.

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?

During the years I lived here, the people of Alexandra ignored tribal and ethnic distinctions. Instead of being Xhosas, or Sothos, or Zulus, or Shangaans, we were Alexandrans. We were one people, and we undermined the distinctions that the apartheid government tried so hard to impose. It saddens and angers me to see the rising hatred of foreigners.

Our economic approach to food and its distribution reflects our basic moral values.

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.

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.