In celebration of Mandela Day on July 18, here are ten great Mandela quotes. Some of the quotes you will have seen before, but some are less well known. On Africa and Home “I believe that South Africa is the most beautiful place on earth. Admittedly, I am biased but when you combine the natural beauty of sunny South Africa with the friendliness and cultural diversity of our people, and the fact that the region is a haven for Africa’s most splendid wildlife, then I think that we have been blessed with a truly wonderful land.”
“We are a winning nation! We acknowledge our problems and challenges and then proceed to tackle them with determination and in a spirit of optimism. We have overcome much in order to be where we are.” “African music is something that goes straight to your heart and it tells the story of your own life, your living conditions, your aspirations.” 
On Education and the Next Generation “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” “Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.” “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that generation. Let your greatness blossom.” On Communicating … Effectively “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” “In human affairs, no single person, organisation or social formation ever has a final or an absolutely correct position. It is through conversation, debate and critical discussion that we approach positions that may provide workable solutions.” “The relative success that we have achieved in Southern Africa vindicates our belief that conflicts can and must be resolved peacefully through dialogue.” On Morality and the Human Spirit “As we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people the permission to do the same.” “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.” Many of the quotes above were taken from Nelson Mandela: Conversations with Myself and Nelson Mandela By Himself. We would love for you to add to our list. What is your favourite Nelson Mandela quote and why?
Rich Laburn is filmmaker, photographer and writer who is based at Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa. Spending his time capturing scenes of the wild and communicating the beauty of the African bushveld, he runs the Londolozi Blog as a way to entertain and engage people wishing to visit these wild lands.
