Nelson Mandela

The Commonwealth makes the world safe for diversity

To be the father of a nation is a great honor, but to be the father of a family is a greater joy.

The histories of our two peoples, Palestinian and South African, correspond in such painful and poignant ways, that I intensely feel myself being at home amongst compatriots

Freedom is meaningless if people cannot put food in their stomachs, if they can have no shelter, if illiteracy and disease continue to dog them.

AIDS today in Africa is claiming more lives than the sum total of all wars, famines and floods and the ravages of such deadly diseases as malaria ... We must act now for the sake of 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 join hands and build a truly South African nation.

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.

When we dehumanise and demonise our opponents, we abandon the possibility of peacefully resolving our differences, and seek to justify violence against them.

An organisation can only carry out its mandate if there is discipline, and where there is no discipline there can be no real progress

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

Honesty,sincer ity,simplicity, humility, pure generosity,abse nce of vanity,readines s to serve others -qualities which are within easy reach of every soul -are the foundation of one's spiritual life.

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

Religion is one of the most important forces in the world. Whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew, or a Hindu, religion is a great force, and it can help one have command of one's own morality, one's own behavior, and one's own attitude.

Disabled children are equally entitled to an exciting and brilliant future.

I have always endeavoured to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my own opinion.

My family is very large. 42 million.

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

The day I am afraid to do, that is the day I am no longer fit to lead.

If we are to accomplish anything in this world, it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievements of others.

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