Together we have travelled a long road to be where we are today. This has been a road of struggle against colonial and apartheid oppression.
Thabo MbekiRead
South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes inclusivity and shared ownership of a nation by all its inhabitants, regardless of race.
Thabo Mbeki's quote asserts that South Africa is a collective heritage that belongs to everyone who resides within its borders, irrespective of their racial background. This statement advocates for unity and acknowledges the diverse tapestry of the nation, promoting the idea that true belonging is based on shared humanity rather than racial divisions.
Themes
South AfricaBelongingInclusivityUnityRace
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about national unity during a celebration of South African heritage.
More from Thabo Mbeki
All quotes →A global human society, characterised by islands of wealth, surrounded by a sea of poverty, is unsustainable
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Many of our own people here in this country do not ask about computers, telephones and television sets. They ask - when will we get a road to our village.
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Our experience over the last 20 years has shown that indeed people must themselves become their own liberators. You cannot wait for somebody else to come and rescue you.
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As we mourn President Mandela’s passing we must ask ourselves the fundamental question - what shall we do to respond to the tasks of building a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa, a people-centred society free of hunger, poverty, disease and inequality, as well as Africa’s renaissance, to whose attainment President Nelson Mandela dedicated his whole life?
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Gloom and despondency have never defeated adversity. Trying times need courage and resilience. Our strength as a people is not tested during the best of times.
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