Nelson Mandela
(1918-)

South Africa's 1st Black President
1981 Bruno Kreisky Prize for Human Rights
1983 International Simón Bolívar Prize
1999 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
1993 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
2000 Gandhi Peace Prize
2000 National Freedom Award
2002 Presidential Medal of Freedom | The Elders

birthdate: July 18
birthplace:
Transkei, South Africa

QUOTES

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. 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.

"If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."

The value of our shared reward will and must be measured by the joyful peace which will triumph, because the common humanity that bonds both black and white into one human race, will have said to each one of us that we shall all live like the children of paradise. Thus shall we live, because we will have created a society which recognizes that all people are born equal, with each entitled in equal measure to life, liberty, prosperity, human rights and good governance. Such a society should never allow again that there should be prisoners of conscience nor that any person's human rights should be violated.

Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life . . .

In this new century, many of the world's poorest countries remain imprisoned, enslaved and in chains. They are trapped in the prison of poverty. It is time to set them free. 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.

"Trade justice for the developing world and for this generation is a truly significant way for the developed countries to show commitment to bringing about an end to global poverty."

Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times -- times in which the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and wealth accumulation -- that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evils.

 

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