Nelson Mandela served as a president of South Africa for 5 years. He was the country’s first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. He is widely regarded as an icon of democracy and social justice, he received more than 250 honours, including the Nobel Peace Prize. In South Africa, he is described as the “father of the nation”. He was truly an inspiring personality. Here are some of his thoughts.

· “Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.”

· “Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end.”

· “It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”

· “You can start changing our world for the better daily, no matter how small the action.”

· “The greatest glory in living is not in falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

· “After climbing a great hill. One only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”

· “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.”

· “Action without vision is only passing time, vision without action is merely daydreaming but vision with action can change the world.”

· “If you want the cooperation of humans around you, you must make them feel they are important, and you do that by being genuine and humble.”

· “No one is born hating another person because of the colour 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.”

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