Former South African President F.W. de
Klerk
"Nelson Mandela's biggest legacy was his
commitment to reconciliation, was his
remarkable lack of bitterness and the way in
which he did not only talk about reconciliation
but he made reconciliation happen in South
Africa. He was a remarkable man. ... There was
an immediate, I would say, a spark between
the two of us and notwithstanding the many
spats we had later, I always respected him and
I always liked him as a person.
"He was a magnanimous person, he was a
compassionate person; he was not only a man
of vision, he was not only a great leader, but
he was also a very human, human man."
Tokyo Sexwale, who was imprisoned with
Mandela on Robben Island
"Nelson Mandela demonstrated that leadership
is not about power, but on the contrary, about
honor. That is what we learned from Nelson
Mandela during the dark days with him on
Robben Island. Today he is seen as an icon in
the world, whose teachings, principles and
values need to be embraced by all. He was
embraced even by even white wardens, his
own jailers, because he demonstrated that
through the power of dialogue ... people on
different sides, former enemies, can come
together. That's how we in South Africa were
able to resolve our intractable problems
created by the racist system of apartheid.
"My cell was only about 2-3 meters away from
his cell. His cell was small, but it contained a
very formidable and larger-than-life figure."
Somalian President Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud
"Nelson Mandela impacted the lives of people
in every corner of the world. All of Africa will
mourn the loss of a true African hero,
statesman and elder.
"He was an inspiration and beacon of hope to
people across the globe who are fighting for
justice and peace in the world."
World figures
U.S. President Barack Obama
"My very first political action, the first thing I
ever did that involved an issue or policy or
politics was a protest against apartheid. I
would study his words and his writings, the
day he was released from prison gave me a
sense of what human beings can do when
they're guided by their hopes and not by their
fears. And like so many around the globe, I
cannot imagine my own life without the
example that Nelson Mandela set. And so, as
long as I live, I will do my best to do what I
can to learn from him."
Tweets about Nelson Mandela
U.N. Security Council
"President Nelson Mandela will forever be
remembered as someone who gave up so much
of his life in the struggle for freedom, so that
millions could have a brighter future."
Dalai Lama
"He was a man of courage, principle and
unquestionable integrity, a great human being,
someone of whom we can truly say, 'He lived a
meaningful life.' I pray for him and offer my
heartfelt condolences to you, the members of
your family and the entire people of South
Africa."
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi
"I would like to express my extreme grief at
the passing away of a man who stood for
human rights and equality in this world. He
made us all understand that nobody should be
penalized for the color of his skin, for the
circumstances in which he was born. He also
made us understand that we can change the
world -- we can change the world by changing
attitudes, by changing perceptions. For this
reason, I would like to pay tribute to him as a
great human being who raised the standard of
humanity."
Malala Yousafzai, teenage Pakistani
education activist
"Nelson Mandela is physically separated from
us, but his soul and spirit will never die. He
belongs to the whole world because he is an
icon of equality, freedom and love, the values
we need all the time everywhere. His long,
long struggle is a great demonstration of
humanity. I have learned so much from Nelson
Mandela, and he has been my leader. He is a
perpetual inspiration for me and millions of
others around the world."
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II
"The Queen was deeply saddened to learn of
the death of Nelson Mandela last night. He
worked tirelessly for the good of his country,
and his legacy is the peaceful South Africa we
see today.
"Her Majesty remembers with great warmth
her meetings with Mr. Mandela and sends her
sincere condolences to his family and the
people of South Africa at this very sad time."
French President Francois Hollande
"Nelson Mandela's message will not fade away,
it will continue to inspire those who fight for
freedom and give confidence to the people
who defend just and universal causes.
"Nelson Mandela has been an exceptional
resistor and a magnificent victor. He showed
that the human will can not only break chains
but use energy to successfully build a common
destiny."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
"Nelson Mandela was among the greatest
figures of our time. He was the father of his
country, a man of vision and a freedom fighter
who disavowed violence. He set a personal
example for his country during the long years
in which he was imprisoned. He was never
haughty. He worked to heal rifts within South
African society and succeeded in preventing
outbreaks of racial hatred."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
"With a heavy heart, we say goodbye to Nelson
Mandela. Surely, his legacy will remain a
source of inspiration and courage for all
people."
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
"A giant among men has passed away. This is
as much India's loss as South Africa's. He was
a true Gandhian. His life and work will remain
a source of eternal inspiration for generations
to come."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
"He demonstrated that the only path forward
for the nation was to reject the appeal of
bitterness. His forbearance was legendary: his
magnanimity spared all South Africans
incalculable suffering."
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle
"His name will always be associated with the
peaceful transition from the iniquitous
apartheid regime to democracy and the rule of
law. And not only that -- Nelson Mandela
symbolizes the fight against inequality and
racism, the struggle to conquer hatred and, in
short, to bring about a better world. We have
an obligation to uphold his legacy."
American figures
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
"Today the world has lost one of its most
important leaders and one of its finest human
beings. And Hillary, Chelsea and I have lost a
true friend. ... We will remember him as a man
of uncommon grace and compassion, for
whom abandoning bitterness and embracing
adversaries was not just a political strategy but
a way of life."
Former U.S. Secretary of State and first
lady Hillary Clinton
"Nelson Mandela was a champion for justice &
human dignity, with unmatched grace. I'll
remember him as Madiba, truly an
unconquerable soul."
Retired Gen. Colin Powell, former U.S.
secretary of state
"I knew him. I had dinner with him. I had
conversations with him, and what always
struck me was his humbleness. He was a
humble, gentle, warm person, even though he
was a fighter on the military stage as well as
the political stage. ... He approached
everybody he met as a fellow human being and
equal to him, and that's what I remember."
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
"His passion for freedom and justice created
new hope for generations of oppressed people
worldwide, and because of him, South Africa is
today one of the world's leading democracies.
In recent years, I was gratified to be able to
work with him through The Elders to
encourage resolution of conflicts and advance
social justice and human rights in many
nations."
First lady Michelle Obama
"We will forever draw strength and inspiration
from Nelson Mandela's extraordinary example
of moral courage, kindness, and humility."
U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel of New York
"African-Americans have really been denied
what most Americans enjoy. And that is their
history, from where they came from. Not only
were our names taken away, our culture, our
songs, our history, our language, but Africans
were demonized. When I was a kid, the worst
thing you could do was call anyone an African.
"But when Nelson Mandela came on the scene,
where every black kid could say, 'Gee mom,
that great guy looks just like me, doesn't he?'
He has given to African-Americans something
that you can't get out of churches and you
couldn't get out of schools. He gave us an
identity to know. When God made him, and
made us to look like him, he was thinking
about all of us. And so I don't know what it
takes for God to pick up a saint, but I'll tell
you one thing, he'd win in any election for
sainthood, all over the world."
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright
"President Mandela was an activist, a prisoner
of conscience, a political leader, and a
venerated statesman but he was, above all, a
teacher. ... Mandela's strength as a teacher is
that he not only advised us what to do, he
showed us how. Personally, I will treasure the
memory of our meetings, the directness of his
talk, the warmth of his smile, and the depth of
his commitment to the economic and social
well-being of his people."
Celebrities
Oprah Winfrey, media entrepreneur, talk
show host, actress
"One of the great honors of my life was to be
invited to Nelson Mandela's home, spend
private time and get to know him. He was
everything you've ever heard and more --
humble and unscathed by bitterness. And he
always loved to tell a good joke. Being in his
presence was like sitting with grace and
majesty at the same time. He will always be my
hero. His life was a gift to us all."
Boxing great Muhammad Ali
"What I will remember most about Mr.
Mandela is that he was a man whose heart,
soul and spirit could not be contained or
restrained by racial and economic injustices,
metal bars or the burden of hate and revenge.
He taught us forgiveness on a grand scale."
U2's Bono
"In the end, Nelson Mandela showed us how to
love rather than hate, not because he had
never surrendered to rage or violence, but
because he learnt that love would do a better
job. Mandela played with the highest stakes.
He put his family, his country, his time, his
life on the line, and he won most of these
contests. Stubborn til the end for all the right
reasons, it felt like he very nearly outstared his
maker. Today, finally, he blinked. And some of
us cry, knowing our eyes were opened to so
much because of him."
Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group Ltd.
"He had a wicked sense of humor, a twinkle in
his eye. He would burst into singing and
dancing. And yet at the same time, there was a
serious side to him. He set up a wonderful
organization called The Elders in order for his
legacy to live on. He took time and trouble
appointing six wonderful men and women ...
and he asked them to continue his legacy after
he'd gone."
Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls basketball player
"I wish they would pause everything so the
whole world can give thanks."
Idris Elba, who plays Nelson Mandela in
new biopic "Mandela: Long Walk to
Freedom"
"What an honor it was to step into the shoes
of Nelson Mandela and portray a man who
defied odds, broke down barriers, and
championed human rights before the eyes of
the world. My thoughts and prayers are with
his family."