In countries where democracy is either non-existent or in development, on the other hand, citizens crave those freedoms. Maybe that is one lesson Western citizens can learn from those countries: treasure what you have. Use your rights and freedoms to effect the change you want.

Kofi Annan

Categorized in : Hands Country Rights

We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.

skin-color race acceptance

The future belongs to you, but it can only belong to you if you p... by Kofi Annan

The future belongs to you, but it can only belong to you if you participate and take charge

To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.

heartfelt frustrated inspirational

Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.

information-is-power education knowledge

Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace. If, however, they are left on society's margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let us ensure that all young people have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of their societies.

keys opportunity people

We can love what we are, without hating what, and who, we are not... by Kofi Annan

We can love what we are, without hating what, and who, we are not.

who-we-are hate

You are never too young to lead and you should never doubt your capacity to triumph where others have not.

triumph should doubt

We need to promote greater tolerance and understanding among the peoples of the world. Nothing can be more dangerous to our efforts to build peace and development than a world divided along religious, ethnic or cultural lines. In each nation, and among all nations, we must work to promote unity based on our shared humanity.

effort understanding religious

Without a dream you'll not get anywhere. by Kofi Annan

Without a dream you'll not get anywhere.

Gather the five virtues (Dignity, Confidence, Courage, Compassion... by Kofi Annan

Gather the five virtues (Dignity, Confidence, Courage, Compassion, and Faith). Then you are a man.

dignity compassion men

...there is no tool for development more effective than the empow... by Kofi Annan

...there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.

empowering women inspiring

Have confidence in the young people, give them a chance, and they... by Kofi Annan

Have confidence in the young people, give them a chance, and they will surprise you.

chance giving people

Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.

democracies-have teaching education

We don’t need any more promises. We need to start keeping the pro... by Kofi Annan

We don’t need any more promises. We need to start keeping the promises we already made.

made promise needs

If you are neutral in a situation where one side is patently being mistreated, the conclusion is that you're siding with this wrong.

conclusion situation sides

Ignorance and prejudice are the handmaidens of propaganda. Our mission, therefore, is to confront ignorance with knowledge, bigotry with tolerance, and isolation with the outstretched hand of generosity. Racism can, will, and must be defeated.

ignorance racism hands

When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations are given a better start in life.

women benefits generations

I used to tell the story about as a young man in high school one of the professors came in and put a broad white sheet on the board with a dot in the right hand corner and said, "Boys, what do you see?" And we all shouted, a black dot. He stood back and said, "not a single one of you saw the broad white sheet, you all saw the black dot." He went on to tell us to focus on the broader picture, don't focus on the negative.

inspiration boys school

Education is, quite simply, peace-building by another name. It is the most effective form of defense spending there is.

defense names peace

I was an ordinary boy at school, a young man. In fact, what did the headmaster once say? "You're constantly challenging those in authority; questioning and challenging those in authority." Which was not really the way I saw it. I felt there were questions that had to be answered, and things that weren't quite right.

men boys school