Quotes from Wangari Maathai

What people see as fearlessness is really persistence.

the world's interactions with Africa are not necessarily motivated by altruism, but by the self-interest of states seeking to maximize their opportunities and minimize their costs, often at the expense of those who are not in a position to do either.

Trees are living symbols of peace and hope. A tree has roots in the soil yet reaches to the sky. It tells us that in order to aspire we need to be grounded...

When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope. We also secure the future for our children.

Hallowed landscapes lost their sacredness and were exploited as the local people became insensitive to the destruction, accepting it as a sign of progress.

Non siate timorosi di parlare, quando sapete di essere nel giusto. La paura non è mai stata fonte di sicurezza. Parlate chiaramente e lottate per i vostri diritti, finchè potete.

Non siate timorosi di parlare, quando sapete di essere nel giusto. La paura non è mai stata fonte di sicurezza. Parlate chiaramente e lottate per i vostri diritti, finché potete.

You would see me there now, cultivating the earth and carrying firewood on my back up the hills to my home, where I would light a fire and cook the evening meal. I would not tell stories, because they have been replaced by books, the radio, and television

I told Nderitu; 'This semester I'm taking zoology, psychology, scripture, English composition, modern European history, and sports. It's quite a bit of work, enough to keep my little brain busy.'..The education was broad-based and, on reflection, quite liberal.

You don't need a diploma to plant a tree.

nobody knows the solution to every problem; rather than blindly following the prescriptions of others, Africans need to think and act for themselves, and learn from their mistakes.

Plus on s'élève dans l'échelle sociale, moins il y a de femmes.

We are very fond of blaming the poor for destroying the environment. But often it is the powerful, including governments, that are responsible.

Culture defines who we are and how we see ourselves. A new attitude toward nature provides space for a new attitude toward culture and the role it plays in sustainable development

Those of us who have been privileged to receive education, skills, and experiences and even power must be role models for the next generation of leadership.

Do not be naive. AIDS is not a curse from God to Africans or the black people. It is a tool to control them designed by some evil-minded scientists, but we may not know who particularly did it.

It would be good for us Africans to accept ourselves as we are and recapture some of the positive aspects of our culture.

An individual citizen cannot protect himself from the powers of large corporations or external governments. It is the responsibility of the government to protect its citizens.

We tend to put the environment last because we think the first thing we have to do is eliminate poverty and send children to school and provide health.

I definitely hope to relax when I get back hope. I will disappear into the forest and be rejuvenated by the beauty of the mountains.

I think what the Nobel committee is doing is going beyond war and looking at what humanity can do to prevent war. Sustainable management of our natural resources will promote peace.

Human rights are not things that are put on the table for people to enjoy. These are things you fight for and then you protect.

Finally I was able to see that if I had a contribution I wanted to make, I must do it, despite what others said. That I was OK the way I was. That it was all right to be strong.

I know there is pain when sawmills close and people lose jobs, but we have to make a choice. We need water and we need these forests.