Nelson Mandela was the first democratically elected President of South Africa and the first black man to serve the prestigious head of the state position in the country. A politician, statesman, orator, philanthropist and revolutionary, Mandela directed his life for the anti-apartheid movement. He was an ardent opponent of the apartheid movement. He joined the African Council Youth League in 1942 and directed acts of civil disobedience against the South African government through a campaign of peaceful, nonviolent defiance against the government and its racist policies. Mandela's dedication to the opposition of apartheid in South Africa led to his imprisonment for 27 years and his subsequent appointment asSouth Africa’sinaugural elected President. A global symbol of peacemaker, he was bestowed withthe Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for his undaunted and unstinting efforts. Just as his life which is absolutely inspiring and motivating for the youth today, so are his quotes on varied topics including peace, importance of education, true happiness and meaning of life among others. Sneak peek into this section and get inspired by his collection of quotes. They are sure to provide you with food for thought.
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.
A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.
As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.
A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.
It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.