Quotes from Nelson Mandela

One of the mistakes which some political analysts make is to think that their enemies should be our enemies.

Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.

A man is not a man until he has a house of his own.

Although we had no hope of defeating the enemy in the battlefield, nevertheless, we fought back to keep the idea of liberation alive. From a conversation with Richard Stengel, January 13, 1993

I loved it in the unconditional way that children love their first home.

I cherish my own freedom dearly, but I care even more for your freedom. Too many have died since I went to prison. Too many have suffered for the love of freedom.

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.

I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there was mercy and generosity.

There is little to be said in favour of poverty, but it was often an incubator of true friendship. Many people will appear to befriend you when you are wealthy, but precious few will do the same when you are poor

I immediately regretted that last point because I have discovered that in discussions it never helps to take a morally superior tone to one's opponent.

Running taught me valuable lessons. Training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did.

As Chief Luthuli said, 'When the women begin to take an active part in the struggle, no power on earth can stop us from achieving freedom in our lifetime.

One should never forget the main aim in a debate, inside and outside the organisations, in political rallies, in Parliament and other government structures, is that we should emerge from that debate, however sharp our differences might have been, stronger, closer and more united and confident that ever before.

No matter what I suffered in my pursuit of freedom, I always took strength from the fact that I was fighting with and for my own people. Bram was a free man who fought against his own people to ensure the freedom of others

A new world will be won not by those who stand at a distance with their arms folded...

People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite

I am your servant…. It is not the individuals that matter, but the collective….

Men, I think, are not capable of doing nothing, of saying nothing, of not reacting to injustice, of not protesting against oppression, of not striving for the good of society and the good life in the ways they see it.

There is nobody more dangerous than one who has been humiliated.

Muž by m?l mít d?m poblíž svého rodišt?, kde by našel klid, který jinde postrádá.

El hombre valiente no es el que no siente miedo, sino el que es capaz de conquistarlo.

Il nostro giocare in piccolo non serve al mondo.

There are victories whose glory lies only in the fact that they are known to those who win them.

Running taught me valuable lessons. In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did. Even as a student, I saw many young men who had great natural ability, but who did not have the self-discipline and patience to build on their endowment.