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

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

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

I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.

Only armchair politicians are immune from committing mistakes. Errors are inherent in political action.

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

It never hurts to think too highly of a person; often they become ennobled and act better because of it.

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

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

It enables me to go to bed with an enriching feeling in my soul and the belief that I am changing myself.

Sport has the power to change the world... Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.

Resentment is like a glass of poison that a man drinks; then he sits down and waits for his enemy to die.

For a revolution is not just a question of pulling a trigger; its purpose is to create a fair just society

I was able to change my life by knowing that if somebody does something good for you, you have to respond.

The path of those who preach love, and not hatred, is not easy. They often have to wear a crown of thorns.

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

History and the generations to come will judge our leaders by the decisions they make in the coming weeks.

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

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.

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

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

Learn to know yourself... to search realistically and regularly the processes of your own mind and feelings.

A new society cannot be created by reproducing the repugnant past, however refined or enticingly repackaged.

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

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

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

One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.

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

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

If I am your leader, you have to listen to me & if you don’t want to listen to me, then drop me as your leader

I don't think there is much history can say about me. I just want to be remembered as part of that collective.

I never think of the time I have lost. I just carry out a programme because it's there. It's mapped out for me.

From the poorest of countries to the richest of nations, education is the key to moving forward in any society.

Force is the only language the imperialists can hear, and no country became free without some sort of violence.

An educated, enlightened & informed population is one of the surest ways of promoting the health of a democracy

Information is a basic human right and the fundamental foundation for the formation of democratic institutions.

It is your duty to examine the conduct of public figures and to place them in the spotlight - that is your duty.

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

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

As long as women are bound by poverty and as long as they are looked down upon, human rights will lack substance.

The call now is for each of us to ask ourselves: are we doing all we can to help build the country of our dreams?

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

Jinnah is a constant source of inspiration for all those who are fighting against racial and group discrimination.

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.

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

There is nothing more important in life than giving. Tolerance is forged when people look beyond their own desires

I am influenced more than ever before by the conviction that social equality is the only basis of human happiness.

We raise our voices in holy gladness to celebrate the victory of the risen Christ over the terrible forces of death.

Strong convictions are the secret of surviving deprivation; your spirit can be full even when your stomach is empty.

Share This Page