Civil Rights Leader
Nelson Mandela
South African anti-apartheid leader
1918 – 2013
1056
Total Mentions
9
Direct Quotes
1962
First Mention
2024
Latest Mention
Most Frequent Citing Countries
South Africa(35)Ireland(19)Grenada(19)Burkina Faso(17)Benin(17)Botswana(16)Zambia(15)Portugal(15)
Direct Quotations (9)
"It always seems impossible until it"
2024Netherlands
View Speech"Peace is the greatest weapon for development that any person can have"
2023Serbia
View Speech"It is human solidarity, the concern for the other, that must be at the centre of the values by which we all live."
2020South Africa
View Speech"to be free is not merely to cast off one"
2019Kingdom of Belgium
View Speech"A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of."
2018Portugal
View Speech"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. It always seems impossible until done."
2017Madagascar
View Speech"overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice."
2013Haiti
View Speech"To be free is not merely to cast off one"
2012USA
View Speech"The Olympic Games represent one of the most evocative moments of celebration of our unity as human beings in pursuit of noble ideas. Among those ideas is the quest for global peace."
2002Greece
View SpeechAll Mentions (91)
2019·Republic of South Sudan
Viewhat, once there is more water in Lake Chad, the advancement of the Sahara Desert southwards will be significantly stemmed. We firmly believe that, as Nelson Mandela stated, “education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”. The Republic of South Sudan is using education to transform the lives
1995·South Africa
Viewnternational peace and security will continually be threatened. 3 General Assembly 22nd plenary meeting Fiftieth session 13 October 1995 As President Mandela stated in 1992, “Our common humanity transcends the oceans and all national boundaries. It binds us together in common cause against tyranny, to act
2019·South Africa
Viewe Security Council. The theme for our term is “Continuing the legacy: working for a just and peaceful world”. That is the embodiment of the legacy of Nelson Mandela and furthers the objective of silencing the guns on the African continent by 2020. We are using our tenure to promote the maintenance of internationa
2018·Palau
ViewMr. Annan was the living embodiment of our mission to create peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies. This year we also celebrate the legacy of Nelson Mandela, which continues to inspire the poor and the oppressed to demand equal rights. In honour of the centenary of his birth, the Nelson Mandela Peace Summ
2018·Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
Viewhe four winds. It is a new revolution of independence, dignity and justice. Today we are stronger than ever. Two days ago we witnessed the tribute to Nelson Mandela (see A/73/PV.5). To speak of Mandela is to speak of rebellion. Mandela has been portrayed as a fool, as someone who did not fight. Mandela is rebelli
2024·Belize
Vieweople, by virtue of their right to determine their political status and pursue their economic, cultural, and social development. To borrow words from Nelson Mandela, [our people] are the real makers of history; their participation in every decision about the future is the only guarantee of true democracy and free
2024·United States of America
Viewan. I see it today. But we are stronger than we think. We’re stronger together than alone. And what the people call “impossible” is just an illusion. Nelson Mandela taught us, and I quote, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” My fellow leaders, there is nothi
2024·Democratic Republic of Congo
Viewto assume—with honour and responsibility—the mission of shaping a future where **cooperation and peace prevail over conflict and division**. --- As **Nelson Mandela** once said: > “None of us acting alone can achieve success.” Therefore, we extend our hand to each of you—**longstanding partners and new allies**—t
2024·Congo
Viewnally, a **fraternal, rainbow Humanity**, as imagined by the great artist **John Lennon** here in New York, and as dreamed of from a prison cell by **Nelson Mandela**. **Thank you.**
2024·Serbia
View anything other than brutality and cruelty as well as insanity? “Real and lasting peace can be reached only by justice and respect for human rights”, Nelson Mandela said.
2023·Spain
Viewxistence among nations are being violated. This Hall has been witness to many memorable addresses by leaders such as Salvador Allende. Olof Palme and Nelson Mandela. We should of course draw inspiration from their words. But the urgency of the challenges requires us to do more than revel in rhetoric. As has been
2023·Barbados
Viewes, only to find that we are too late and the gates have closed. They will be open for some, but they will be closed for many. Vision without action. Nelson Mandela told us. is just a dream, and action without vision just passes the time. But vision with action can change the world. Our citizens believe that we c
2023·Bahamas
Viewwho had Bahamian roots, before him. Lynden Pindling. our founding Prime Minister, did not accept “no” when the Nassau Accords were forged to say “let Nelson Mandela go”. Clearly, then, “no” is not an acceptable answer to give an unfree people. We in this generation take up the call — Brave Davis and the Bahamas s
2023·Burkina Faso
View and Felix Mournie of Cameroon. Sylvanus Olympic of Togo. Che Guevara of Argentina. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X of the United States of America. Nelson Mandela of South Africa. Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya. Amilcar Cabral of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde. Marien Ngouabi of the Republic of the Congo and Captain Thom
2022·Solomon Islands
Viewregional and international peace. Solomon Islands will not be coerced into choosing sides. I am reminded of the wisdom conveyed by the late President Nelson Mandela during an interview with Ted Koppel, which is relevant to our situation: “One of the mistakes which some political analysts make is to think their en
2022·Congo
Viewein, the great theoretician of the atom, said gravely that such a war, if it were to take place, would be the last battle to ever be fought on Earth. Nelson Mandela, a man of eternal forgiveness, said that peace is a long road, but it has no alternative. It has no price. Indeed, Russians and Ukrainians have no ot
2022·Burundi
ViewIn terms of education, I could not be more explicit than Nelson Mandela when he said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” So many years after this famous line was spoken, this id
2020·Sweden
Viewequalities, - violations of international law - and threats to international peace. To create, as Secretary-General Guterres called for in his recent Mandela Lecture, a new social contract and a new global deal. Excellencies, Sweden fully supports the UN’s leadership of the global COVID-19 response and rec
2019·Antigua and Barbuda
Viewf us. A world of prosperity will not be sustained without global cooperation, global peace and global justice. In this context, I recall the words of Nelson Mandela, who knew much about working with the enemy — real, perceived or created. He said: “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with
2018·Kazakhstan
ViewThis year, as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest sons of humankind, the late Nelson Mandela, I would like to begin my statement with a quote of his: “It is so easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build”. We
2018·Angola
Viewl Assembly is holding its seventy-third session at a special moment as we pay tribute to two towering figures of world politics, both sons of Africa: Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan. Today, exactly one year since my inauguration as President of the Republic of Angola, I have the honour, on behalf of the Angolan peo
2018·Bosnia and Herzegovina
View and principles, then all our endeavours will be less valuable and less successful. On that note, I leave the Assembly with the words of a great man, Nelson Mandela, as we mark the centenary of his birth, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives
2018·Saint Lucia
View, based on shared responsibility, and the space to achieve that global compact is right here at the United Nations. Let us draw on the inspiration of Nelson Mandela and his incredible ability to forgive and find solutions for the greater human good. There is a Buddhist proverb that says, “To know and not to do is
2018·Benin
Viewolding here on Monday, 24 September, of the high-level plenary meeting devoted to the theme of world peace in honour of the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela (see A/73/PV.5). Indeed, Nelson Mandela embodies the core values on which the United Nations is built. The fight against all forms of discrimination
2018·Grenada
Viewtainable societies. Grenada also joins the rest of the United Nations community in honouring the late South African hero and international statesman, Nelson Mandela, on the centenary of his birth. This tribute comes at a time when the international community is looking to leaders who understand the necessity of f
2018·Nepal
Viewrres, for the dedication, commitment and leadership with which he has been serving the Organization. As we commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela, I would like to express my profound respect for that great leader and the cause he fought for. An iconic figure, he was a great human soul and remai
2018·Croatia
Viewon the risk of decision-making. We must be open to new ideas and we must show emotion, empathy and above all enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is contagious. As Nelson Mandela — Madiba — whose centenary we celebrated two days ago, may have said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
2018·Andorra
Viewlism throughout the end of the past century and the beginning of this millennium. We saw it again just this week during the Peace Summit dedicated to Nelson Mandela (see A/73/ PV.4 et seq.), who was, without a doubt, one of the key figures of that historic moment. Twenty-five years on, many of the hopes of 1993 h
2018·Mozambique
Viewth his devotion to just global causes. The Assembly is also taking place at a time when we are celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela, that icon in the fight for freedom, peace, equality and fraternity. Those two great men should inspire us in our collective fight for a better world
2018·South Africa
Viewpeace, to bring them life, to bring them a life worth living.” (A/49/PV.14, p. 10) As we mark the centenary of the birth of this great global leader, Nelson Mandela, we are bound to ask whether the United Nations has met the needs and expectations of the millions who stand at the gates of hope. We are bound to as
2018·Mauritania
Viewenerating projects. This year our country, which supported the South African people in their struggle against the policies of apartheid, welcomed the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit (see A/73/PV.4 and 5) honouring the great role of the late Nelson Mandela. In that regard, I would like to recall that we honoured the l
2018·European Union
View United Nations should help expose that phenomenon, attribute responsibility and increase democratic resilience. One hundred years after the birth of Nelson Mandela, we commemorate his triumph over apartheid in South Africa. I am very pleased that the occasion coincides with deeper ties between the African Union
2018·Brazil
Viewtions leading to denuclearization and peace. It is through dialogue and solidarity that we will overcome intolerance and build peace. As expressed by Nelson Mandela, whose centenary we commemorate this year, it is our duty to strive towards “a world of tolerance and respect for difference”, and to show an unwaver
2018·Pakistan
Viewcise their inalienable right of self-determination and wrest independence from the yoke of colonial rule. As we pay tribute to the memory of the late Nelson Mandela, Madiba, we are reminded of the high ideals for which he sacrificed so much. The best way to honour the legacy of that great leader is to continue to
2018·Mauritius
Viewnon-permanent seat for small island developing States. Four days ago we celebrated the memory and legacy of one of Africa’s most illustrious leaders, Nelson Mandela (see A/73/PV.4 et seq.). As world leaders, we would benefit from being inspired by the words and actions of Mandela, especially when he said: “What c
2018·Ireland
ViewThe General Assembly is meeting this week as we mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Nelson Mandela of South Africa and as we mourn the recent death of Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations. They were two great leaders from Afri
2018·Burundi
Viewments for peace in South Sudan and the positive changes in the Horn of Africa. We welcome the fact that those new peace initiatives coincide with the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace that we adopted in the political declaration of 24 September (resolution 73/1) in this very Hall.
2018·South Sudan
Viewmmemoration of the late Madiba (see A/73/PV.4 et seq.). It is fitting that the United Nations has dedicated 24 September to the annual holding of the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit. He was an icon of peace whose legacy will live forever. The theme selected by the President for this session, “Making the United Nation
2018·Rwanda
View that agreements are respected. Peace and security are the foundation of economic and social well-being. Yesterday we happily marked the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth with the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit. In that spirit, we are already set to embark upon a new chapter, with cooperation between the African U
2018·Greece
Viewalization of civil partnership and by deepening the rights of the Muslim minority. This year we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, who once said that tasks always seem impossible until they are done. For the last eight years my country has been hit hard by three global crises. W
2018·Panama
Viewermined to continue supporting the efforts of this institution, fighting for peace and social justice and following the example of great leaders like Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan. Over these years, I have borne witness to the deliberations and efforts of the United Nations aimed at fostering harmony in the world
2018·Guinea-Bissau
Viewe of contributing to the advent of a more just and equitable world in the coming years. On 24 September we celebrated the 100th birthday of President Nelson Mandela — Madiba — and had the opportunity to reflect on the life and accomplishments of that great humanist (see A/73/PV.5). The late former South African P
2018·Cyprus
View international cooperation and sustainable development. In addition, by honouring the centenary of the birth of the great statesman and world leader, Nelson Mandela, we have expressed our great admiration and gratitude for his active promotion of the noble values of peace, justice and equality. Cyprus fully endor
2018·Denmark
Viewn people have been on the brink of humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib. The tragedy in Syria cannot continue. Earlier this week, Member States honoured Nelson Mandela. In a fitting celebration of an iconic proponent of peace, leaders from across the world underscored the importance of our joint commitment to buildi
2017·Palestine
Viewtants of the land of historic Palestine from the river to the sea. Which will they accept? When South Africa was liberated from the apartheid regime, Nelson Mandela said that he was grateful to the whole world and the United Nations, which contributed to and supported the end of apartheid in South Africa. Mandela
2016·
Viewhallenge. He or she should possess the ability to bring together hearts and minds and embody the values and courses of action that Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela exemplified in their lives. We need someone who transcends their group or circle, uniting and representing everyone and not just a chosen few, 16-294
2016·Belgium
View“None of us acting alone can achieve success.” These are the words of Nelson Mandela. We must decide and act together because only together can we come up with right responses to the many challenges that we face. Our responsibility is
2016·Iceland
Viewiolent extremism. We must challenge narratives and ideologies together and identify internal and external drivers of violent extremism and terrorism. Nelson Mandela said, Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Education is a precondition of good governance. If people do not
2015·United States
ViewThat is why our strongest leaders, from George Washington to Nelson Mandela, have elevated the importance of building strong, democratic institutions over a thirst for perpetual power. Leaders who amend constitutions to stay
2015·South Africa
View Africa has also been honoured by the declaration of 18 July as International Mandela Day, honouring our founding President and world icon, President Nelson Mandela. At this celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations I wish to extend, on behalf of the people of South Africa, our sincere grati
Showing 50 of 91 mentions
| Year | Country | Speech |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Republic of South Sudan | View |
| 1995 | South Africa | View |
| 2019 | South Africa | View |
| 2018 | Palau | View |
| 2018 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | View |
| 2024 | Belize | View |
| 2024 | United States of America | View |
| 2024 | Democratic Republic of Congo | View |
| 2024 | Congo | View |
| 2024 | Serbia | View |
| 2023 | Spain | View |
| 2023 | Barbados | View |
| 2023 | Bahamas | View |
| 2023 | Burkina Faso | View |
| 2022 | Solomon Islands | View |
| 2022 | Congo | View |
| 2022 | Burundi | View |
| 2020 | Sweden | View |
| 2019 | Antigua and Barbuda | View |
| 2018 | Kazakhstan | View |
| 2018 | Angola | View |
| 2018 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | View |
| 2018 | Saint Lucia | View |
| 2018 | Benin | View |
| 2018 | Grenada | View |
| 2018 | Nepal | View |
| 2018 | Croatia | View |
| 2018 | Andorra | View |
| 2018 | Mozambique | View |
| 2018 | South Africa | View |
| 2018 | Mauritania | View |
| 2018 | European Union | View |
| 2018 | Brazil | View |
| 2018 | Pakistan | View |
| 2018 | Mauritius | View |
| 2018 | Ireland | View |
| 2018 | Burundi | View |
| 2018 | South Sudan | View |
| 2018 | Rwanda | View |
| 2018 | Greece | View |
| 2018 | Panama | View |
| 2018 | Guinea-Bissau | View |
| 2018 | Cyprus | View |
| 2018 | Denmark | View |
| 2017 | Palestine | View |
| 2016 | View | |
| 2016 | Belgium | View |
| 2016 | Iceland | View |
| 2015 | United States | View |
| 2015 | South Africa | View |
Showing 50 of 91 mentions