Our single most important challenge is therefore to help establish a social order in which the freed...
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Our single most important challenge is therefore to help establish a social order in which the freedom of the individual will truly mean the freedom of the individual.
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Intervention only works when the people concerned seem to be keen for peace.
Intervention only works when the people concerned seem to be keen for peace.
Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be ...
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Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.
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I have been influenced in my thinking by both west and east.
I have been influenced in my thinking by both west and east.
There are many people who feel that it is useless and futile to continue talking about peace and non...
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There are many people who feel that it is useless and futile to continue talking about peace and non-violence against a government whose only reply is savage attacks on an unarmed and defenseless people.
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There is nothing I fear more than waking up without a program that will help me bring a little happi...
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There is nothing I fear more than waking up without a program that will help me bring a little happiness to those with no resources, those who are poor, illiterate, and ridden with terminal disease.
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I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.
I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.
If the United States of America or Britain is having elections, they don't ask for observers from Af...
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If the United States of America or Britain is having elections, they don't ask for observers from Africa or from Asia. But when we have elections, they want observers.
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To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.
To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.
I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstan...
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I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.
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Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human bein...
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Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.
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A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the othe...
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A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed.
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We can't afford to be killing one another.
We can't afford to be killing one another.
Forget the past.
Forget the past.
A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.
A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.
When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.
When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he...
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I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
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Unlike some politicians, I can admit to a mistake.
Unlike some politicians, I can admit to a mistake.
The titanic effort that has brought liberation to South Africa, and ensured the total liberation of ...
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The titanic effort that has brought liberation to South Africa, and ensured the total liberation of Africa, constitutes an act of redemption for the black people of the world.
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Sometimes, I feel like one who is on the sidelines, who has missed life itself.
Sometimes, I feel like one who is on the sidelines, who has missed life itself.
By ancestry, I was born to rule.
By ancestry, I was born to rule.
If you are poor, you are not likely to live long.
If you are poor, you are not likely to live long.
Leaders in all spheres who are living with HIV should be encouraged, not coerced, to lead by example...
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Leaders in all spheres who are living with HIV should be encouraged, not coerced, to lead by example and disclose their HIV status.
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I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to s...
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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.
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Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Does anybody really think that they didn't get what they had because they didn't have the talent or ...
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Does anybody really think that they didn't get what they had because they didn't have the talent or the strength or the endurance or the commitment?
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Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.
Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.
There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of th...
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There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.
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Communists have always played an active role in the fight by colonial countries for their freedom, b...
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Communists have always played an active role in the fight by colonial countries for their freedom, because the short-term objects of Communism would always correspond with the long-term objects of freedom movements.
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My son has died of AIDS.
My son has died of AIDS.
No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.
No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.
Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will.
Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will.
If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your pa...
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If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.
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If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his ...
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If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.
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There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.
There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.
I made a mistake by being ejected from the presidency. Next time, I will choose a Cabinet which will...
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I made a mistake by being ejected from the presidency. Next time, I will choose a Cabinet which will allow me to be life President.
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There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you your...
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There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
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After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people.
I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people.
For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhanc...
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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.
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I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a ...
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I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.
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I can't pretend that I'm brave and that I can beat the whole world.
I can't pretend that I'm brave and that I can beat the whole world.
There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you...
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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.
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I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of cou...
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I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife.
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Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.
Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.
It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.
It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.
I should tie myself to no particular system of society other than of socialism.
I should tie myself to no particular system of society other than of socialism.
Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose.
Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose.
Special Olympians face prejudice with the injustice of apartheid.
Special Olympians face prejudice with the injustice of apartheid.
If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Tw...
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If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.
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It always seems impossible until it's done.
It always seems impossible until it's done.
There is no such thing as part freedom.
There is no such thing as part freedom.
I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in ha...
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I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.
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Africans require, want, the franchise on the basis of one man one vote. They want political independ...
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Africans require, want, the franchise on the basis of one man one vote. They want political independence.
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The United States has made serious mistakes in the conduct of its foreign affairs, which have had un...
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The United States has made serious mistakes in the conduct of its foreign affairs, which have had unfortunate repercussions long after the decisions were taken.
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I do not deny that I planned sabotage. I did not plan it in a spirit of recklessness nor because I h...
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I do not deny that I planned sabotage. I did not plan it in a spirit of recklessness nor because I have any love of violence. I planned it as a result of a calm and sober assessment of the political situation that had arisen after many years of tyranny, exploitation and oppression of my people by the whites.
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Before I went to jail, I was active in politics as a member of South Africa's leading organization -...
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Before I went to jail, I was active in politics as a member of South Africa's leading organization - and I was generally busy from 7 A.M. until midnight. I never had time to sit and think.
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Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.
Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.
Nonviolence is a good policy when the conditions permit.
Nonviolence is a good policy when the conditions permit.
During my lifetime, I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought ag...
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During my lifetime, I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.
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I am confident that nobody... will accuse me of selfishness if I ask to spend time, while I am still...
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I am confident that nobody... will accuse me of selfishness if I ask to spend time, while I am still in good health, with my family, my friends and also with myself.
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There are many people in South Africa who are rich and who can share those riches with those not so ...
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There are many people in South Africa who are rich and who can share those riches with those not so fortunate who have not been able to conquer poverty.
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I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowi...
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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.
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In countries where innocent people are dying, the leaders are following their blood rather than thei...
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In countries where innocent people are dying, the leaders are following their blood rather than their brains.
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Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.
Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.
I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many people embraced me, including ...
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I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many people embraced me, including my enemies, and that is what I normally tell other people who say those who are struggling for liberation in their country are terrorists.
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Let us give publicity to H.I.V./AIDS and not hide it, because the only way to make it appear like a ...
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Let us give publicity to H.I.V./AIDS and not hide it, because the only way to make it appear like a normal illness like TB, like cancer, is always to come out and say somebody has died because of H.I.V./AIDS, and people will stop regarding it as something extraordinary.
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Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to fur...
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Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom.
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In my country we go to prison first and then become President.
In my country we go to prison first and then become President.
I started to make a study of the art of war and revolution and, whilst abroad, underwent a course in...
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I started to make a study of the art of war and revolution and, whilst abroad, underwent a course in military training. If there was to be guerrilla warfare, I wanted to be able to stand and fight with my people and to share the hazards of war with them.
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Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppressi...
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Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.
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I have always regarded myself, in the first place, as an African patriot.
I have always regarded myself, in the first place, as an African patriot.
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory w...
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It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.
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If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United State...
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If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America.
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[on Steve Biko, who was murdered in 1977] They had to kill him to prolong the life of apartheid.
[on Steve Biko, who was murdered in 1977] They had to kill him to prolong the life of apartheid.
I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing if Arab states do not recognize Israel, within secure border...
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I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing if Arab states do not recognize Israel, within secure borders.
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Give a child love, laughter and peace, not AIDS.
Give a child love, laughter and peace, not AIDS.
We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.
We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.
You know, you can only lead them from behind.
You know, you can only lead them from behind.
