Nelson Mandela

Blaming things on the past does not make them better.

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.

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

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.

I was first imprisoned in Pretoria, and then, thereafter, I was taken to Robben Island. I stayed there for a couple of weeks. I was taken back to Pretoria when I was charged in the Rivonia trial, when I was then sent to Robben Island for life.

It always seems impossible until it's done.

Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom.

If the United States of America or Britain is having elections, they don't ask for observers from Africa or from Asia. But when we have elections, they want observers.

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

Let us give publicity to H.I.V./AIDS and not hide it, because the only way to make it appear like a normal illness like TB, like cancer, is always to come out and say somebody has died because of H.I.V./AIDS, and people will stop regarding it as something extraordinary.

An initiative was essentially led by civil society because the policy of the government was that Africans must not be taught to graze in pastures which were reserved for the main white group.

True reconciliation does not consist in merely forgetting the past.

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

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

May your choices reflect your hopes not your fears.

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

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

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

Communists have always played an active role in the fight by colonial countries for their freedom, because the short-term objects of Communism would always correspond with the long-term objects of freedom movements.

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.

There is nothing I fear more than waking up without a program that will help me bring a little happiness to those with no resources, those who are poor, illiterate, and ridden with terminal disease.

I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people.

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 can't afford to be killing one another.

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

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

It always seem impossible until it's done.

Give a child love, laughter and peace, not AIDS.

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

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

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.

The United States has made serious mistakes in the conduct of its foreign affairs, which have had unfortunate repercussions long after the decisions were taken.

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

Africans require, want, the franchise on the basis of one man one vote. They want political independence.

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

In the end, reconciliation is a spiritual process, which requires more than just a legal framework. It has to happen in the hearts and minds of people.

Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting down just to think is one of the best ways of keeping yourself fresh and able, to be able to address the problems facing you, and you had the opportunity, also, of examining your past.

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 really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife.

I am the captain of my soul.

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.

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

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.

Before I went to jail, I was active in politics as a member of South Africa's leading organization - and I was generally busy from 7 A.M. until midnight. I never had time to sit and think.

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

If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.

As an attorney, I could be rather flamboyant in court. I did not act as though I were a black man in a white man's court, but as if everyone else - white and black - was a guest in my court. When trying a case, I often made sweeping gestures and used high-flown language.

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.

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

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

Nonviolence is a good policy when the conditions permit.

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.

Let us give publicity to HIV/AIDS and not hide it, because [that is] the only way to make it appear like a normal illness.

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.

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

Change your life today.

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

A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen then you have something very special.

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

There is nobody more dangerous than one who has been humiliated even when you humiliate him rightly.

Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life...

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 defenseless people.

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

Reconciliation means working together to correct the legacy of past injustice.

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

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

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

I came across few whites as a boy at Qunu. The local magistrate, of course, was white, as was the nearest shopkeeper. Occasionally, white travelers or policemen passed through our area. These whites appeared as grand as gods to me, and I was aware that they were to be treated with a mixture of fear and respect.

History will surely judge us harshly if we do not respond with all the energy and resources that we can bring to bear in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

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.

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.

It always seems impossible until its done.

Negotiation and discussion are the greatest weapons we have for promoting peace and development.

Great anger and violence can never build a nation.

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

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.

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

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

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.

Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.

My son has died of AIDS.

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

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.

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

I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere.

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.

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

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.

We must nurture tolerance, collective wisdom, and democracy.

For to be free is not merely to cast off ones chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

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

There is no such thing as part freedom.

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

At the outset, I want to say that the suggestion that the struggle in South Africa is under the influence of foreigners or communists is wholly incorrect. I have done whatever I did because of my experience in South Africa and my own proudly felt African background, and not because of what any outsider might have said.

People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react. But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society.

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.