We owe our children β the most vulnerable citizens in any society β a life free from violence and fear.
Nelson MandelaRead
Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.
Interpretation
The journey toward freedom is certain and cannot be undone, so we should not let fear hinder our progress.
Nelson Mandela's quote emphasizes the importance of courage and determination in the pursuit of freedom. It suggests that while fear may be a natural part of any struggle, it should not deter us from progressing toward our goals, especially when it comes to achieving fundamental rights and liberties.
In practice
In a speech about civil rights, someone might quote Mandela to inspire action.
We owe our children β the most vulnerable citizens in any society β a life free from violence and fear.
What freedom am I being offered while the organization of the people remains banned? Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.
The past is a rich resource on which we can draw in order to make decisions for the future, but it does not dictate our choices. We should look back at the past and select what is good, and leave behind what is bad.
We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to believe in the goodness of people.
After one has been in prison, it is the small things that one appreciates: being able to take a walk whenever one wants, going into a shop and buying a newspaper, speaking or choosing to remain silent. The simple act of being able to control one's person.
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.
Succeed in not fearing the lion, and the lion will fear YOU. Say to suffering, 'I will that you shall become a pleasure,' and it will prove to be such-- and even more than a pleasure, it will be a blessing.
I have learned that a woman can be a fighter, a freedom fighter, a political activist, and that she can fall in love, and be loved, she can be married, have children, be a mother... Revolution must mean life also; every aspect of life.
I was hell bent on destruction... it was like being possessed by a demon.
No one's ever completely broken. It's just a matter of how much has to fall apart before the ember of life is exposed to air.
Japan is the only country in the world to have suffered the ravages of atomic bombing. That experience left an indelible mark on the hearts of our people, making them passionately determined to renounce all wars.
Child slavery is a crime against humanity. Humanity itself is at stake here. A lot of work still remains, but I will see the end of child labor in my lifetime.
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