We owe our children – the most vulnerable citizens in any society – a life free from violence and fear.
Nelson MandelaRead
Let it never be said by future generations that indifference, cynicism or selfishness made us fail to live up to the ideals of humanism which the Nobel Peace Prize encapsulates. Let the strivings of us all, prove Martin Luther King Jr. to have been correct, when he said that humanity can no longer be tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of actively pursuing humanistic ideals rather than succumbing to indifference and selfishness.
Nelson Mandela's quote serves as a powerful reminder that future generations will judge us based on our actions regarding humanism and our response to societal issues like racism and war. It calls upon individuals to rise above negativity and strive to fulfill the aspirations of peace and unity that figures like Martin Luther King Jr. championed, encouraging us to be proactive in creating a better world.
Themes
HumanismPeaceRacismActivismInspiration
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech advocating for social justice at a civil rights rally.
More from Nelson Mandela
All quotes →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.
Nelson MandelaRead
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.
Nelson MandelaRead
We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to believe in the goodness of people.
Nelson MandelaRead
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.
Nelson MandelaRead
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.
Nelson MandelaRead
Similar quotes
If you can get them once, man, get them standing up when they should be sitting down, sweaty when they should be decorous, smile when they should be applauding politely-and I think you sort of switch on their brain, man, so that makes them say: 'Wait a minute, maybe I can do anything.' Whoooooo! It's life. That's what rock and roll is for, turn that switch on, and man, it can all be.
Janis JoplinRead
We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain, free within ourselves.
Langston HughesRead
I believe in the sun, even when it rains.
Anne FrankRead
So here is why I write what I do: We all have futures. We all have pasts. We all have stories. And we all, every single one of us, no matter who we are and no matter what’s been taken from us or what poison we’ve internalized or how hard we’ve had to work to expel it – – we all get to dream.
N.K. JemisinRead
The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.
Oprah WinfreyRead
Francois Rabelais. He was a poet. And his last words were "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." That's why I'm going. So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps.
John GreenRead