Nelson Mandela Quotes: 18 Sayings To Celebrate Madiba's 100th Birth Anniversary

Wednesday marks the 100th birthday anniversary of Nelson Mandela — the first black president of South Africa (1994-1999). His clan name — Madiba — became a global embodiment of peace.

Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in Mvezo, Transkei, South Africa, and was a member of the anti-apartheid movement in his 20s. He later joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1942, which was outlawed in 1960.

Mandela was eventually arrested and charged with sabotage and attempting to violently overthrow the government in 1964. When he got out of prison after 27 years, Africa rejoiced and 100,000 people gathered in the Grand Parade grounds outside Cape Town's City Hall to hear him speak.

Over the years Mandela emerged as an inspirational leader for his country, with his quotes being forever etched in history, for future generations to learn from them. Here are a few of them:

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”

“There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

“We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination.”

“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other — not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”

“As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.”

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.”

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

“I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.”

“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.”

“A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed.”

“In my country we go to prison first and then become President.”

“People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react. But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society.”

“I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.”

“In countries where innocent people are dying, the leaders are following their blood rather than their brains.”

“Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose.”

“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”