I was first imprisoned in Pretoria, and then, thereafter, I was taken to Robben Island. I stayed there for a couple of weeks. I was taken back to Pretoria when I was charged in the Rivonia trial, when I was then sent to Robben Island for life.

I was a disadvantaged child from a uneducated family, yet I had the advantage of being in the company of great teachers.

Charity begins at home, and justice begins next door.

Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.

It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them.

Throughout my career, I learned plenty about war on the battlefield, but I learned even more about the importance of finding peace. And that is what the State Department and U.S.A.I.D. do: prevent the wars that we can avoid so that we fight only the ones we must.

My main concern is meeting with public because my main commitment, main interest is promotion of human values, human affection, compassion and religious harmony.

Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.

Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others.

Of course, when I say that human nature is gentleness, it is not 100 percent so. Every human being has that nature, but there are many people acting against their nature, being false.

In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme.

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I didn't read.