Nelson Mandela quotes: wise famous quotes, sayings and quotations by Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from Nelson Mandela on Wise Famous Quotes.

We must look within ourselves, become responsible and provide fresh solutions if we ever want to do more than complain,or make excuses.

Soccer is one of the most unifying activities amongst us.

When we can sit in the face of insanity or dislikes and be free from the need to make it different, then we are free.

A man who takes away another man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow mindedness.

It's in your hands to make the world a better place.

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

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

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

The relations between a man and his or her god is a personal matter; you can't go out and challenge the belief of people in a superior being.

If you look at those matters, you will come to the conclusion that the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace.

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

It is a simple tale, but its message is an enduring one: virtue and generosity will be rewarded in ways that one cannot know.

Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind.

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

The process of illusion & disillusionment is part of life and goes on endlessly.

It is most unusual to return to a place that has changed in ways you yourself have altered.

In my younger days, I was arrogant - jail helped me to get rid of it. I did nothing but make enemies because of my arrogance.

I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination ...

Take it upon yourself where you live to make people around you joyful and full of hope.

We must nurture tolerance, collective wisdom, and democracy.

I was a young man who attempted to make up for his ignorance with militancy.

When those in power deny you of freedom the only path to freedom is power

Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.

I would like it to be said: here lies a man who has done his duty on earth

If you want to preach a revolutionary message, wear a suit.

I have been influenced in my thinking by both west and east.

I want to sleep for eternity with a broad smile on my face. I want those who remain behind to say this man has done his duty.

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

Hating clouds the mind. It gets in the way of strategy. Leaders cannot afford to hate

The march to freedom is irreversible.

Let freedom reign.

Men come and men go, I have come and I will go when my time comes

Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.

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

AIDS is no longer just a disease, it is a human rights issue.

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.

Thinking is one of the most important weapons in dealing with problems

I have always regarded myself, in the first place, as an African patriot.

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

We can't win a war, but we can win an election.

In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.

Where you stand depends on where you sit.

We know what needs to be done
all that is missing is the will to do it,

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

It is not the kings and generals that make history, but the masses of the people.

These numbers are staggering, in fact incomprehensible. By all accounts, we are dealing with the greatest health crisis in human history.

If wealth is a magnet, poverty is a kind of repellent.

You know you are really famous the day you discover you have become a comic character!

It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.

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

Freedom is indivisible; the chains on any one of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.

Only free men can negotiate,prisoners can't enter in contracts

We don't have to be victims of our past, that we can let go of our bitterness, and that all of us can achieve greatness.

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

In my country we go to prison first and then become President.

There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.

Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.

If you are stimulated by what you do, you never get tired

No power on this earth can destroy the thirst for human dignity

I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people.

Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.

A free press is one of the pillars of democracy.

Since the dawn of history, mankind has honoured and respected brave and honest people.

We can build a society grounded on friendship and our common humanity - a society founded on tolerance. That is the only road open to us.

I feel like a young man of 15.

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.

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

To truly lead one's people, one must also truly know them.

The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

Part of building a new nation means building a spirit of tolerance, love and respect amongst the people of this country.

There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested ...

Out of the motorcar (I learned later that this majestic vehicle was a Ford V8) stepped a short, thickset man wearing a smart suit.

Sport has the power to inspire and unite people. In Africa, soccer enjoys great popularity and has a particular place in the hearts of people.

Non-violence is a good policy when conditions permit.

Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.

If I preached unity, I must act like a unifier, even at the risk of perhaps alienating some of my own colleagues.

It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.

We can't fight AIDS unless we do much more to fight TB as well.

If you want to change the world, help the women.

Even if you have a terminal disease, you don't have to sit down and mope. Enjoy life and challenge the illness that you have.

Politics can be strengthened by music, but music has a potency that defies politics.

The brave man is not the one who has no fears, he is the one who triumphs over his fears.

By ancestry, I was born to rule.

All that (Mr. Bush) wants is Iraqi oil.

I was neglected by my family because I had disappointed them - I'd run away from being forced into an arranged marriage, which was a big blow to them.

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

It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.

learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

I say to all those leaders: Do not look the other way, do not hesitate ... It is within your power to prevent a genocide.

Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.

Those who conduct themselves with morality, integrity and consistency need not fear the forces of inhumanity and cruelty.

There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.

I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.

The cause of Communism is the greatest cause in the history of mankind!

I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses. We must never forget that it is our duty to protect this environment.

As a leader, one must sometimes take actions that are unpopular, or whose results will not be known for years to come.

Our experience has taught us that with goodwill a negotiated solution can be found for even the most profound problems.

The most difficult matter is not so much to change the world as yourself.

The purpose of freedom is to create it for others. Prison desk calendar, written on Robben Island, June 2, 1979