“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.”

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

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

As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.

Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice.

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.

The best weapon is to sit down and talk.

Great anger and violence can never build a nation.

Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace.

You mustn’t compromise your principles, but you mustn’t humiliate the opposition. No one is more dangerous than one who is humiliated.

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

History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.

One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.

Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.

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

A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but it’s lowest ones.