President Obama:"A man who took history in his hands and bent the arc of the moral universe towards justice."

Bill Clinton:"I will never forget my friend Madiba."

Chelsea Clinton:"My thoughts and prayers are with Graça Machel & the Mandela family. We are all the richer for Madiba's extraordinary life."

Bono:"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."

Oprah Winfrey:"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."

Muhammad Ali:"He made us realize, we are our brother's keeper and that our brothers come in all colors. 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."

Tiger Woods:"You will always be in my heart Mr. Mandela."

Paul Simon:"He conceived a model for mortal enemies to overcome their hatred and find a way through compassion to rebuild a nation based on truth, justice and the power of forgiveness. His passing should reignite a worldwide effort for peace."

Samuel L. Jackson:"Never met a better person in my life than Nelson Mandela. My sympathy to his family & his country."

Elon Musk:"Rest in peace, Nelson Mandela. A man both good and great."

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."

Morgan Freeman:"Nelson Mandela was a man of incomparable honor, unconquerable strength, and unyielding resolve---a saint to many, a hero to all who treasure liberty, freedom and the dignity of humankind. As we remember his triumphs, let us, in his memory, not just reflect on how far we've come, but on how far we have to go."

Richard Branson:"Today we lost not only a great man; we also lost one of the world's greatest leaders."

Russell Simmons:"Nelson Mandela was an angel walking on this earth. You were one the greatest teachers this world has ever known. We love you and we miss you"

Bill Gates:"Every time Melinda and I met Nelson Mandela, we left more inspired than ever. His grace and courage changed the world. This is a sad day."

Whoopi Goldberg:"I want 2give the world a hug I was told Mandeba just passed. Nelson Mandela R.I.P. Time for a well earned sleep.Condolences to his family"

Barbara Walters:"A remarkable man and an inspiration to all. Remembering #NelsonMandela

Quincy Jones:"He was the embodiment of the spirit of 'Ubuntu,' which is the belief that the collective is always more important than the individual. As citizens of the world we should all aspire to that ideal, and all that Nelson Mandela's life represented, taking comfort in the knowledge that in so doing we will always stand in the long shadow of his greatness."

Idris Elba:"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."

Harvey Weinstein:"One of the privileges of making movies is having the opportunity to immortalize those who have made a profound impact on humanity. We count ourselves unspeakably fortunate to have been immersed in Nelson Mandela's story and legacy."

Desmond Tutu:"He transcended race and class in his personal actions, through his warmth and through his willingness to listen and to empathize with others. He taught us that to respect those with whom we are politically or socially or culturally at odds is not a sign of weakness, but a mark of self-respect."

French President Francois Hollandesaid Mr Mandela's message would "continue to inspire fighters for freedom, and to give confidence to peoples in the defence of just causes and universal rights".

Germany's Angela Merkelsaid Mr Mandela's "political legacy of non-violence and the condemnation of all forms of racism" would continue to inspire.

Mr Mandela was an "inspiration to the oppressed peoples all over the world" and had made "unparalleled personal sacrifices", saidNigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.

Brazil's Dilma Rousseffsaid Mr Mandela would "guide all those who fight for social justice and for peace in the world", and India'sManmohan Singhsaid: "A giant among men has passed away."

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singhsaid: "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.''

For UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Mr Mandela "was a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration".

Queen Elizabeth II, who met Mr Mandela on several occasions, said in a statement she was deeply saddened to learn of his death and remembered their meetings with great warmth.

"A great light has gone out in the world," said British Prime Minister David Cameron. Mr Mandela was "a towering figure in our time; a legend in life and now in death - a true global hero", he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahudescribed Nelson Mandela as "the most honourable figures of our time". He added: "He was the father of his people, a man of vision, a freedom fighter who rejected violence. He set a personal example for his people in the long years he spent in prison."

Forthe Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmud Abbas,Mr Mandela was "a symbol of the liberation from colonialism and occupation". Mr Abbas added that "the Palestinian people will never forget his historic statement that the South African revolution will not have achieved its goals as long as the Palestinians are not free"

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