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.

I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.

Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice.

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.

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

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

Difficulties break some men but make others.

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

I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A person does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards.

Prison itself is a tremendous education in the need for patience and perseverance. It is above all a test of one's commitment.

We must strive to be moved by a generosity of spirit that will enable us to outgrow the hatred and conflicts of the past.

The truth is that we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free, the right not to be oppressed.

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

Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose.

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.

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.

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