第一篇:曼德拉和奥巴马:领袖的领导能力特征
曼德拉和奥巴马:领袖的领导能力特征
2013-07-24 11:10:55 清华大学领导力培训
纳尔逊·罗利赫拉赫拉·曼德拉(NelsonRolihlahlaMandela)1918年7月18日出生于南非特兰斯凯,先后获南非大学文学士和威特沃特斯兰德大学律师资格。曾任非国大青年联盟全国书记、主席。于1994年至1999年间任南非总统,是首位黑人总统,被尊称为南非国父。贝拉克·侯赛因·奥巴马二世(英语:BarackHusseinObamaII,1961.08.04-),美国民主党政治家。第56届、第57届美国总统(连任)。为美国历史上第一位非裔总统,首位同时拥有黑(卢欧族)白(英德爱混血)血统的总统。
2013年7月18日,南非著名的反种族隔离英雄纳尔逊-曼德拉迎来了95岁生日。这位已在病榻上缠绵了一个多月的老人牵动着全世界的心。作为著名领袖,其表现出的意志力、领导能力thldl.org.cn为管理者提供了很好的范本。
在此之前,2013年6月底,美国总统奥巴马曾访问非洲,这是奥巴马第二届总统任期以来首次造访非洲,也是这位美国历史上首位非洲裔总统时隔近四年再次踏上这片土地。实际上,与其说非洲在期待奥巴马给予的发展机会,不如说他们在追求适合非洲的领导能力。这是这块古老土地强烈的方向性问题。继“非洲之子”纳尔逊-曼德拉之后,奥巴马似乎恰好满足了这一领导能力角色的双重需要。
因而,这两人的领导能力问题自然备受瞩目。不过,上述访问恰逢曼德拉病危之际。舆论所关注的双方会晤并未实现。
两人在领导能力方面有何异同?有何值得借鉴之处?在此,我们特刊发《哈佛商业评论》英文版总编辑殷阿笛(AdiIgnatius)对《时代》总编辑、作家理查德-施腾格尔(RichardStengel),以及《纽约客》主编、普利策新闻奖得主、作家戴维。雷姆尼克(DavidRemnick)的访谈。
HBR:我们今天一起聊聊曼德拉和奥巴马的领导能力问题。理查德。施腾格尔撰写了《曼德拉之路》(Mandela'sway:FifteenLessonsonLife,Love,andCourage),戴维。雷姆尼克则撰写了《崛起的桥梁》(TheBridge:TheLifeandRiseofBarackObama)。请问,有些人真的会像曼德拉和奥巴马那样,天生就具有某种杰出的领导能力特征吗?比如说出众的领导能力?
理查德-施腾格尔:其实通常不是这样的,我认为领导能力的养成是一个结合的过程。不要忘了,曼德拉是极为特殊的个案,他的领导能力就是先天条件和后天经历的一个结合。曼德拉有642英尺高,宽厚的肩膀,魅力十足的笑容。然而,27年的牢狱生涯,某种意义上是锤炼他的熔炉。旷日持久的牢狱经历事实上塑造了他的性格,也塑造了他出狱之后我们所看到的诸多领袖特质。他的威严、他的宽恕、他的平凡等,他在狱中学到的一切都和他的性格天赋结合在一起。
HBR:成就曼德拉的这段经历非常重要。那奥巴马领导能力的考验是什么呢?他们有什么不同?
戴维-雷姆尼克:谈到入主白宫之前的经历,曼德拉的成就要远远大于奥巴马。某种意义上来讲,奥巴马并没有承受像曼德拉那样深重的苦难,但他却拥有与曼德拉类似的特征和气质。对奥巴马来说,第一次真正的考验是国家性的选举,但他并没有竞选总统,而是竞选了联邦参议员、努力进入国会。当他2004年竞选参议院议员时,已经和自己的对手一样强大了,并且由于天时地利人和,奥巴马完胜。
所以我们说到奥巴马的故事,难免会讲到他的好运气,他这一路走得真是相当地顺风顺水。而曼德拉是经过了27年狱中生涯之后才成为如此杰出的领袖的。不过,不管怎么说,在许多方面,奥巴马似乎都是下一个曼德拉。
当奥巴马真正参与总统选举时,他所表现出来的重要领导能力、自我控制的能力、才智、冷静、举手投足的流畅等,都令他的竞选对手相形见绌。这是他的制胜之道。
HBR:通常说,领袖真正的领导能力不仅仅作用于人们的大脑,而且还作用于人们的内心。
理查德-施腾格尔:曼德拉总是说,作为领导,他必须同时影响人们的想法和情感。在曼德拉和奥巴马之间有很多相似之处。奥巴马的出众之处曼德拉也有。但曼德拉的领袖风采是经过了漫长的27年牢狱之灾历练出来的。
事实上,他在监狱中感悟良多,其中一点是:他意识到他在做一件前所未有的大事。他要通过影响人们的头脑和情感,把非洲联合起来,他要领导白人和黑人,让非洲黑人和欧洲血统的非洲人融为一体。他必须理解欧洲血统的南非人。他在监狱里就开始试图理解他们的想法,学习他们的文化和历史,拉近与他们的距离。他还尽可能多地了解关于橄榄球的知识,因为这是白人非常喜爱的运动,就像电影《成事在人》(Invictus)所描述的那样。对奥巴马来说,他需要去做的不仅仅是影响白人的头脑,还要影响白人的内心。当曼德拉这么做的时候,他传递了调和的力量。他会说,我宽恕你,回溯过去所发生的一切,是那个时代把我们分开了,但把我们联合起来的力量远比分散我们的力量更强大。
我想曼德拉在领导能力方面最大的贡献之一,就是无数人都讲道的那一点:从来没有见到过曼德拉不满、愤怒、发火的样子。我可以说他真的会怒发冲冠,但他知道他不可以表现出来,他不能发泄出来。他应该有一种慷慨、宽恕、调和而不是激进的行为方式。他内心有着巨大的创伤,但他却绝不能以创伤示人。这也对他的领导能力带来了一定影响。他说,我不能这么做,我还没有实现民族的彼此妥协、我还没有实现非洲民族的和解,所以这一切的苦痛我都不能让任何人看到。他不仅这样说了,而且也做到了。
HBR:这些领导能力都非常有主见、严于律己,但我想他们的领导能力中是否有一部分是具有领导能力艺术性的,涉及到舞台、诗文、歌剧等诸如此类的因素存在?领导能力艺术性的成分和其他部分是迥然不同的。曼德拉领导能力看起来很明白这一点。
理查德-施腾格尔:我实际上专门花了一章写到这些,比如说,曼德拉对于着装的重视。注意服饰仪容的确有好处。某种意义上来讲,服装会帮助你融入自己的角色,让你很容易成为你想成为的人。他非常注意每次出行究竟穿什么,因为他希望代表人们所想的形象,成为人们所期望他成为的样子。
在20世纪50年代的南非,他是一个年轻的黑人律师。他总是非常认真地穿上西服三件套。因为别忘了,他受教育的时候是被当作下等人来对待的。他希望成为着装所代表的一类领导能力人,能够得到人们的认可。
曼德拉多次对领导能力的艺术性表现了出众的天赋。我曾经和他一同旅行。他总是坐在他那辆宝马的后座上。直到人群都准备好欢迎他了、电视台等媒体都到位了,他才极为精准地把握好这一时刻走出车门。我反倒是常常急着说:“来吧,我们出去吧”。但他一直镇静地坐着,非常胸有成竹。他对戏剧表演、舞台有一种真正的直觉。的确,艺术性的成分对领袖领导能力真的非常重要,尤其是对政治领袖领导能力而言。
HBR:对领导者的领导能力而言,确定性和灵活性,哪个更重要呢?
理查德-施腾格尔:我不得不说是灵活性。曼德拉在这一点做得非常好。我为他写自传的时候,总是和他一起工作。我采访他的时候,我也会像你今天这样准备一堆问题。
第二篇:奥巴马发表讲话悼念曼德拉
奥巴马发表讲话悼念曼德拉
2013年12月5日,南非前总统曼德拉因病逝世,享年95岁。美国总统奥巴马发表电视讲话悼念曼德拉,称曼德拉是正义、平等和尊严的象征,他属于一个时代。
Statement by the President on the Death of Nelson Mandela
At his trial in 1964, Nelson Mandela closed his statement from the dock saying, “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.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.”
纳尔逊·曼德拉在1964年接受审判时在被告席上结束他的陈述时说:“我曾为反对白人统治而斗争,也曾为反对黑人统治而斗争。我一直珍藏着一个民主、自由的社会理想,让所有人都生活在一个和谐共处、机会均等的社会中。我希望为这个理想而生并将其付诸实现。但是,如果需要,我也愿为这样一个理想献出生命。”
trial n.试验;审讯;努力;磨炼adj.试验的;审讯的 nelson Mandela 纳尔逊·曼德拉(前南非总统)
dock n.码头;船坞;被告席;尾巴的骨肉部分vt.使靠码头;剪短vi.入船坞
domination n.控制;支配
cherish vt.珍爱vt.怀有(感情等);抱有(希望等)idealn.理想;典范 adj.理想的;完美的;想象的;不切实际的 democratic adj.民主的;民主政治的;大众的 harmony n.协调;和睦;融洽;调和
And Nelson Mandela lived for that ideal, and he made it real.He achieved more than could be expected of any man.Today, he has gone home.And we have lost one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth.He no longer belongs to us--he belongs to the ages.纳尔逊·曼德拉为这个理想而生,并将其变成现实。他的成就超出了我们能够寄望于任何一个人去取得的。今天,他安息了。而我们失去了一位我们任何一个人能在这个地球上与之共渡时光的人中,最有影响力、最有勇气、最无比善良的一位。他不再属于我们——他属于一个时代。
influential adj.有影响的;有势力的n.有影响力的人物 courageous adj.有胆量的,勇敢的 profoundly adv.深刻地;深深地;极度地
Through his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, Madiba transformed South Africa--and moved all of us.His journey from a prisoner to a President embodied the promise that human beings--and countries--can change for the better.His commitment to transfer power and reconcile with those who jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to, whether in the lives of nations or our own personal lives.And the fact that he did it all with grace and good humor, and an ability to acknowledge his own imperfections, only makes the man that much more remarkable.As he once said, “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
曼德拉以其强烈的尊严和为了他人的自由不惜牺牲自己的自由的不折的意志,改变了南非的面貌,并感动了我们所有人。他从一名囚徒变成一位总统的历程体现了全人类——以及各个国家——都能变得更美好的希望。他移交权力并同那些关押他的人和解的承诺,树立了一个全人类都应当追求的典范,不论是在国家生活中,还是在我们的个人生活中。而他在做到这一切时还能保持风度和幽默,以及承认自己的不足的能力,这使他更加卓尔不群。他曾说过:“我不是一个圣人,除非你们认为圣人是一个不断努力的罪人。”
unbending adj.坚定的;不易弯曲的;冷漠的n.随意;舒畅v.将„弄直;松弛;伸直(unbend的ing形式)journey n.旅行;行程vi.旅行
embodied v.呈现(embody的过去式及过去分词形式);具体表达 commitment n.承诺,保证;委托;承担义务;献身
transfer n.转让;转移;传递;过户vt.使转移;调任vi.转让;转学;换车
reconcile vt.使一致;使和解;调停,调解;使顺从 aspire vi.渴望;立志;追求
remarkable adj.卓越的;非凡的;值得注意
saint n.圣人;圣徒;道德崇高的人adj.神圣的vt.成为圣徒 sinner n.罪人;有错者
I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela's life.My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid.I studied his words and his writings.The day that 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 fully imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set, and so long as I live I will do what I can to learn from him.在被纳尔逊·曼德拉的经历所激励的亿万人中,我是其中一员。我的第一次政治行动——我所做的与一项议题或政策或政治有关的第一件事——就是抗议种族歧视。我认真研读了他的话和他的著作。他走出监狱的那一天,我认识到人类能够在自己的希望——而不是恐惧——引领下所能成就的事业。正如全球各地许许多多的人一 样,我无法充分想象没有纳尔逊·曼德拉的榜样我的生活会是怎样。在我的有生之年,我将尽最大努力向他学习。countless adj.无数的;数不尽的
drew v.牵引(draw的过去式);描绘;起草 political adj.政治的;党派的
politics n.政治,政治学;政治活动;政纲 apartheid n.种族隔离
guided adj.有指导的;有向导的 To Graca Machel and his family, Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathy and gratitude for sharing this extraordinary man with us.His life’s work meant long days away from those who loved him the most.And I only hope that the time spent with him these last few weeks brought peace and comfort to his family.米歇尔和我谨向格拉萨·马歇尔和曼德拉的家人致以最深沉的慰唁,并感谢他们与我们分享这位不平凡的人。他的毕生努力意味着长年累月远离最爱他的人们。我真切地希望与他共同度过的最后这几个星期为他的家人带来了平静与安慰。
To the people of South Africa, we draw strength from the example of renewal, andreconciliation, and resilience that you made real.A free South Africa at peace with itself--that’s an example to the world, and that’s Madiba’s legacy to the nation he loved.对南非人民,我们要说,你们通过重生、和解与坚毅树立的榜样给了我们力量。一个自由、和平的南非——这是世界的榜样,这是“马迪巴”(曼德拉的家族名)为他所热爱的国家留下的遗产。graca Machel gratitude n.感谢(的心情);感激
extraordinary adj.非凡的;特别的;离奇的;临时的;特派的 meant v.意味;打算(mean的过去式和过去分词);表示„的意思 draw n.平局;抽签vi.拉;拖vt.画;拉;吸引 renewal n.更新,恢复;复兴;补充;革新;续借;重申 andreconciliation
resilience n.恢复力;弹力;顺应力 legacy n.遗赠,遗产
We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again.So it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love;to never discount the difference that one person can make;to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.我们可能难以再见到像纳尔逊·曼德拉这样的伟人。因此,我们的责任是尽我们所能把他树立的榜样传承下去:基于爱——而不是恨——来作决定;永远不要低估一个人所能带来的变化;努力建设一个无愧于他的牺牲的未来。
For now, let us pause and give thanks for the fact that Nelson Mandela lived--a man who took history in his hands, and bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice.May God Bless his memory and keep him in peace.现在,让我们停下来,为纳尔逊·曼德拉曾经活着而表达我们的感激之情——他用双手握住历史,把道德宇宙的长虹折向正义。愿上帝保佑他的记忆,使他安息。strive vi.努力;奋斗;抗争
arc n.弧(度);弧光(全称electric arc);弧形物;天穹adj.圆弧的;反三角函数的vt.形成电弧;走弧线
moral n.道德;寓意adj.道德的;精神上的;品性端正
第三篇:奥巴马就曼德拉辞世发表声明
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary December 5, 2013 STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE DEATH OF NELSON MANDELA
James S.Brady Press Briefing Room 5:25 P.M.EST THE PRESIDENT: At his trial in 1964, Nelson Mandela closed his statement from the dock saying, “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.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.”
And Nelson Mandela lived for that ideal, and he made it real.He achieved more than could be expected of any man.Today, he has gone home.And we have lost one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth.He no longer belongs to us--he belongs to the ages.Through his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, Madiba transformed South Africa--and moved all of us.His journey from a prisoner to a President embodied the promise that human beings--and countries--can change for the better.His commitment to transfer power and reconcile with those who jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to, whether in the lives of nations or our own personal lives.And the fact that he did it all with grace and good humor, and an ability to acknowledge his own imperfections, only makes the man that much more remarkable.As he once said, “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.” I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela's life.My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid.I studied his words and his writings.The day that 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 fully imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set, and so long as I live I will do what I can to learn from him.To Graça Machel and his family, Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathy and gratitude for sharing this extraordinary man with us.His life’s work meant long days away from those who loved him the most.And I only hope that the time spent with him these last few weeks brought peace and comfort to his family.To the people of South Africa, we draw strength from the example of renewal, and reconciliation, and resilience that you made real.A free South Africa at peace with itself--that’s an example to the world, and that’s Madiba’s legacy to the nation he loved.We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again.So it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love;to never discount the difference that one person can make;to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.For now, let us pause and give thanks for the fact that Nelson Mandela lived--a man who took history in his hands, and bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice.May God Bless his memory and keep him in peace.
第四篇:奥巴马悼念曼德拉逝世中英文演讲稿
奥巴马悼念曼德拉逝世中英文演讲稿:
At his trial in 1964, Nelson Mandela closed his statement from the dock saying, “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.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.”
纳尔逊·曼德拉在1964年接受审判时在被告席上结束他的陈述时说:“我曾为反对白人统治而斗争,也曾为反对黑人统治而斗争。我一直珍藏着一个民主、自由的社会理想,让所有人都生活在一个和谐共处、机会均等的社会中。我希望为这个理想而生并将其付诸实现。但是,如果需要,我也愿为这样一个理想献出生命。”
And Nelson Mandela lived for that ideal, and he made it real.He achieved more than could be expected of any man.Today, he has gone home.And we have lost one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth.He no longer belongs to us--he belongs to the ages.纳尔逊·曼德拉为这个理想而生,并将其变成现实。他的成就超出了我们能够寄望于任何一个人去取得的。今天,他安息了。而我们失去了一位我们任何一个人能在这个地球上与之共渡时光的人中,最有影响力、最有勇气、最无比善良的一位。他不再属于我们——他属于一个时代。
Through his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, Madiba transformed South Africa--and moved all of us.His journey from a prisoner to a President embodied the promise that human beings--and countries--can change for the better.His commitment to transfer power and reconcile with those who jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to, whether in the lives of nations or our own personal lives.And the fact that he did it all with grace and good humor, and an ability to acknowledge his own imperfections, only makes the man that much more remarkable.As he once said, “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
曼德拉以其强烈的尊严和为了他人的自由不惜牺牲自己的自由的不折的意志,改变了南非的面貌,并感动了我们所有人。他从一名囚徒变成一位总统的历程体现了全人类——以及各个国家——都能变得更美好的希望。他移交权力并同那些关押他的人和解的承诺,树立了一个全人类都应当追求的典范,不论是在国家生活中,还是在我们的个人生活中。而他在做到这一切时还能保持风度和幽默,以及承认自己的不足的能力,这使他更加卓尔不群。他曾说过:“我不是一个圣人,除非你们认为圣人是一个不断努力的罪人。”
I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela's life.My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid.I studied his words and his writings.The day that 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 fully imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set, and so long as I live I will do what I can to learn from him.在被纳尔逊·曼德拉的经历所激励的亿万人中,我是其中一员。我的第一次政治行动——我所做的与一项议题或政策或政治有关的第一件事——就是抗议种族歧视。我认真研读了他的话和他的著作。他走出监狱的那一天,我认识到人类能够在自己的希望——而不是恐惧——引领下所能成就的事业。正如全球各地许许多多的人一 样,我无法充分想象没有纳尔逊·曼德拉的榜样我的生活会是怎样。在我的有生之年,我将尽最大努力向他学习。
To Graça Machel and his family, Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathy and gratitude for sharing this extraordinary man with us.His life’s work meant long days away from those who loved him the most.And I only hope that the time spent with him these last few weeks brought peace and comfort to his family.米歇尔和我谨向格拉萨·马歇尔和曼德拉的家人致以最深沉的慰唁,并感谢他们与我们分享这位不平凡的人。他的毕生努力意味着长年累月远离最爱他的人们。我真切地希望与他共同度过的最后这几个星期为他的家人带来了平静与安慰。
To the people of South Africa, we draw strength from the example of renewal, andreconciliation, and resilience that you made real.A free South Africa at peace with itself--that’s an example to the world, and that’s Madiba’s legacy to the nation he loved.对南非人民,我们要说,你们通过重生、和解与坚毅树立的榜样给了我们力量。一个自由、和平的南非——这是世界的榜样,这是“马迪巴”(曼德拉的家族名)为他所热爱的国家留下的遗产。
We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again.So it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love;to never discount the difference that one person can make;to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.我们可能难以再见到像纳尔逊·曼德拉这样的伟人。因此,我们的责任是尽我们所能把他树立的榜样传承下去:基于爱——而不是恨——来作决定;永远不要低估一个人所能带来的变化;努力建设一个无愧于他的牺牲的未来。
For now, let us pause and give thanks for the fact that Nelson Mandela lived--a man who took history in his hands, and bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice.May God Bless his memory and keep him in peace.现在,让我们停下来,为纳尔逊·曼德拉曾经活着而表达我们的感激之情——他用双手握住历史,把道德宇宙的长虹折向正义。愿上帝保佑他的记忆,使他安息。
Remarks by President Obama at Memorial Service for Former South African President Nelson Mandela
奥巴马总统在悼念南非前总统纳尔逊∙曼德拉的仪式上的讲话
First National Bank Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
第一国家银行体育场,南非,约翰内斯堡
December 10, 2013
2013年12月10日
Thank you.(Applause.)Thank you so much.Thank you.To Graça Machel and the Mandela family;to President Zuma and members of the government;to heads of states and government, past and present;distinguished guests--it is a singular honor to be with you today, to celebrate a life like no other.To the people of South Africa--(applause)--people of every race and walk of life--the world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us.His struggle was your struggle.His triumph was your triumph.Your dignity and your hope found expression in his life.And your freedom, your democracy is his cherished legacy.谢谢诸位。(掌声)多谢诸位。谢谢你们。格拉萨·马谢尔及曼德拉的家人;祖马(Zuma)总统和政府成员;各国历任和现任国家元首和政府首脑;尊敬的来宾们—今天与你们在一起,赞颂这独异于人的一生,是一种至高无上的荣耀。南非人民——(掌声)——各族裔和各行各业的人民——全世界感谢你们与我们共同受惠于纳尔逊∙曼德拉。他进行的斗争就是你们的斗争。他的胜利就是你们的胜利。你们的尊严和你们的希望在他的一生中得到体现。你们的自由、你们的民主,是他宝贵的遗产。
It is hard to eulogize any man--to capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential truth of a person--their private joys and sorrows;the quiet moments and unique qualities that illuminate someone’s soul.How much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process moved billions around the world.概括任何人的生死荣辱都很难做到言至意达,——借助于言词,不仅罗列一生的事实和日期,而且需要揭示一个人的内心深处——他们个人的欢乐和悲伤;静默的时刻和照亮某些人灵魂的独特品质。对于名垂史册的一位伟人,曾率领一个国家追求正义,并且在这个过程中感动了全世界亿万民众,历数这一生的尊荣尤为不易。
Born during World War I, far from the corridors of power, a boy raised herding cattle and tutored by the elders of his Thembu tribe, Madiba would emerge as the last great liberator of the 20th century.Like Gandhi, he would lead a resistance movement--a movement that at its start had little prospect for success.Like Dr.King, he would give potent voice to the claims of the oppressed and the moral necessity of racial justice.He would endure a brutal imprisonment that began in the time of Kennedy and Khrushchev, and reached the final days of the Cold War.Emerging from prison, without the force of arms, he would--like Abraham Lincoln--hold his country together when it threatened to break apart.And like America’s Founding Fathers, he would erect a constitutional order to preserve freedom for future generations--a commitment to democracy and rule of law ratified not only by his election, but by his willingness to step down from power after only one term.“马迪巴”出生在第一次世界大战期间,远离权豪势要,儿时靠放牛维生,接受腾布部落长者的教诲,日后成为20世纪最后一位伟大的解放者。他与甘地一样,后来成为抵抗运动的领导人—最初很少有成功希望的一场运动。他与金博士一样,使被压迫者的诉求得到强有力的声张,为种族正义的道义使命发出了强大的声音。他经历了残酷的监禁,在肯尼迪和赫鲁晓夫时期开始身陷囹圄,直到冷战结束之时。出狱后,他在没有军队的情况下——与亚伯拉罕•林肯一样,在国家即将分裂之际维护了国家的完整。他与美国的开国元勋一样,为了保持今后世世代代的自由建立了宪法秩序——坚持民主和法治,不仅因为他的当选,而且也因为他愿意在完成一个任期后放弃权力。
Given the sweep of his life, the scope of his accomplishments, the adoration that he so rightly earned, it’s tempting I think to remember Nelson Mandela as an icon, smiling and serene, detached from the tawdry affairs of lesser men.But Madiba himself strongly resisted such a lifeless portrait.(Applause.)Instead, Madiba insisted on sharing with us his doubts and his fears;his miscalculations along with his victories.“I am not a saint,” he said, “unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
纵观他的一生,回顾他取得的一切成就、他当之无愧获得的敬仰,我认为可以说纳尔逊∙曼德拉是一位彪炳青史的人物,人们应该缅怀千载。他笑容可掬,面目安详,具有常人不具备的超尘拔俗的气质。然而,“马迪巴”本人强烈抵制这种刻板的形象。(掌声)相反,“马迪巴”坚持要我们知道他的疑惑和恐惧,了解他在走向胜利的道路上做出了哪些错误的估计。“我不是圣人,”他如是说,“除非你们认为圣人也会犯错,也需要不断尝试。”
It was precisely because he could admit to imperfection--because he could be so full of good humor, even mischief, despite the heavy burdens he carried--that we loved him so.He was not a bust made of marble;he was a man of flesh and blood--a son and a husband, a father and a friend.And that’s why we learned so much from him, and that’s why we can learn from him still.For nothing he achieved was inevitable.In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness, and persistence and faith.He tells us what is possible not just in the pages of history books, but in our own lives as well.正是因为他承认不完美——因为他为人如此和蔼可亲,甚至还有些诙谐,尽管他经历了诸多的重负--我们才如此喜欢他。他不是大理石制作的雕像;他是有血有肉的人——儿子和丈夫,父亲和朋友。正因为如此,我们从他身上学到了很多东西。正因为如此,我们始终可以向他学习。他取得的成就没有一样是必然的结果。我们从他的一生中看到,他奋勇斗争,殚智竭虑,坚韧不拔,坚持信念,在历史上赢得了自己的地位。他告诫我们什么是可能做到的,不仅可以载入史册,而且在我们自己的生活中得到体现。
Mandela showed us the power of action;of taking risks on behalf of our ideals.Perhaps Madiba was right that he inherited, “a proud rebelliousness, a stubborn sense of fairness” from his father.And we know he shared with millions of black and colored South Africans the anger born of, “a thousand slights, a thousand indignities, a thousand unremembered moments„a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people,” he said.曼德拉向我们展示了行动的力量;为了我们的理想甘冒风险的力量。“马迪巴”也许是对的,他从他父亲那里继承了“一种骄傲不羁的叛逆精神,一种顽强执着的公平信念”。我们还知道,他同千百万南非黑人和有色人种共同怀有一种愤怒,他曾说,这种愤怒产生于“一千次轻蔑、一千次屈辱、一千个已被遗忘的时刻„„一种与禁锢我的人民的制度抗争的渴望”。
But like other early giants of the ANC--the Sisulus and Tambos--Madiba disciplined his anger and channeled his desire to fight into organization, and platforms, and strategies for action, so men and women could stand up for their God-given dignity.Moreover, he accepted the consequences of his actions, knowing that standing up to powerful interests and injustice carries a price.“I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination.I’ve 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.”(Applause.)同非洲人国民大会的其他早期伟人一样——如希苏拉斯和塔姆伯斯——“马迪巴”以自律来约束自己的愤怒,将自己的渴望融入为采取行动而确立组织、平台和战略的斗争中,以使男女民众能够奋起捍卫他们的天赐尊严。此外,他还接受了他所采取的行动带来的后果,知道与权势和不公抗争是要付出代价的。“我曾为反对白人统治而斗争,也曾为反对黑人统治而斗争。我一直珍藏着一个民主、自由的社会的理想,让所有人都生活在一个和谐共处、机会均等的社会中。我希望为这个理想而生并将其付诸实现。但是,如果需要,我也愿为这样一个理想献出生命。”(掌声)
Mandela taught us the power of action, but he also taught us the power of ideas;the importance of reason and arguments;the need to study not only those who you agree with, but also those who you don’t agree with.He understood that ideas cannot be contained by prison walls, or extinguished by a sniper’s bullet.He turned his trial into an indictment of apartheid because of his eloquence and his passion, but also because of his training as an advocate.He used decades in prison to sharpen his arguments, but also to spread his thirst for knowledge to others in the movement.And he learned the language and the customs of his oppressor so that one day he might better convey to them how their own freedom depend upon his.(Applause.)曼德拉让我们懂得了行动的力量;他也让我们懂得了理念的力量,理性和辩论的重要性,以及不仅应当研究你所赞同的、也应当研究你并不赞同的。他深知,理念不会被监狱的高墙阻挡,也不会被冷枪手的子弹扼杀。由于他滔滔雄辩、激情澎湃,也由于他身为一名倡导者的经验丰富,他将对他的审判变成了对种族隔离的控诉。他利用几十年的狱中时光来使自己的论点更加尖锐,但也用自己对知识的渴求来感染这场运动中的其他人士。他还学会了压迫他的那些人的语言和习俗,以便有一天能更好地向他们说明他们自身的自由如何取决于他的自由。(掌声)
Mandela demonstrated that action and ideas are not enough.No matter how right, they must be chiseled into law and institutions.He was practical, testing his beliefs against the hard surface of circumstance and history.On core principles he was unyielding, which is why he could rebuff offers of unconditional release, reminding the Apartheid regime that “prisoners cannot enter into contracts.曼德拉表明了只有行动和理念还不够。它们不论多么正确,都必须被铭刻在法律和机制之中。他是务实的,让自己的信念接受现实和历史的严峻考验。他在核心原则上坚定不移,正是因为这样,他能够断然拒绝无条件释放的伎俩,提醒种族隔离政权别忘了“囚犯无权签署合同”。
But as he showed in painstaking negotiations to transfer power and draft new laws, he was not afraid to compromise for the sake of a larger goal.And because he was not only a leader of a movement but a skillful politician, the Constitution that emerged was worthy of this multiracial democracy, true to his vision of laws that protect minority as well as majority rights, and the precious freedoms of every South African.然而,正如他在殚精竭虑地进行谈判以移交权力并起草新法律的过程中所展示的,为了一个更宏大的目标他不惧怕妥协。由于他不仅是一场运动的领导人,而且是一位娴熟的政治家,最终产生的宪法无愧于这个多种族的民主制度,忠实于他对既保护少数人权利也保护多数人权利的法律的构想以及每个南非人的宝贵自由。
And finally, Mandela understood the ties that bind the human spirit.There is a word in South Africa--Ubuntu--(applause)--a word that captures Mandela’s greatest gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that are invisible to the eye;that there is a oneness to humanity;that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us.最后,曼德拉理解聚合人类精神的纽带。南非有一个词——乌班图(Ubuntu)——(掌声)——这个词抓住了曼德拉最了不起的才能:他认识到我们所有人都以肉眼看不到的方式息息相连,人类有一种同一性,我们通过与他人分享自己及关爱我们身边的人来成就自己。
We can never know how much of this sense was innate in him, or how much was shaped in a dark and solitary cell.But we remember the gestures, large and small--introducing his jailers as honored guests at his inauguration;taking a pitch in a Springbok uniform;turning his family’s heartbreak into a call to confront HIV/AIDS--that revealed the depth of his empathy and his understanding.He not only embodied Ubuntu, he taught millions to find that truth within themselves.我们永远不会知道他的这种认知有多少是与生俱来的,有多少是在一间黑暗的单人牢房中形成的。但我们记得大大小小的种种表现——他在就职典礼上将他的看守尊为贵宾;他穿上斯普林博克队的球衣投球;他将痛失亲人的悲伤化作防治艾滋病病毒/艾滋病的呼吁——这显示了他深切的同情心以及他深刻的认知。他不仅体现了“乌班图”,而且教导千百万人寻求他们内心深处的那个真理。
It took a man like Madiba to free not just the prisoner, but the jailer as well--(applause)--to show that you must trust others so that they may trust you;to teach that reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past, but a means of confronting it with inclusion and generosity and truth.He changed laws, but he also changed hearts.只有像“马迪巴”这样的伟人才能让囚犯和看守同获自由——(掌声)——显示出必须信任别人,别人才可能信任你;教导人们和解并不是无视一段残酷的历史,而是一种以包容各方、慷慨大度和恪守真理来面对这段历史的方式。他不仅改变了法律,而且感化了人心。
For the people of South Africa, for those he inspired around the globe, Madiba’s passing is rightly a time of mourning, and a time to celebrate a heroic life.But I believe it should also prompt in each of us a time for self-reflection.With honesty, regardless of our station or our circumstance, we must ask: How well have I applied his lessons in my own life? It’s a question I ask myself, as a man and as a President.对于南非人民,对于他所激励的全球各地的人们,“马迪巴”的辞世的确是一个悼念的时刻,也是一个颂扬他的英雄生平的时刻。而我相信,它还应当是一个促使我们每个人自省的时刻。不论我们的地位或处境如何,我们都必须扪心自问:我在自己的生活中是如何践行他的教诲的?这正是我身为一个普通人和一位总统,向自己提出的问题。
We know that, like South Africa, the United States had to overcome centuries of racial subjugation.As was true here, it took sacrifice--the sacrifice of countless people, known and unknown, to see the dawn of a new day.Michelle and I are beneficiaries of that struggle.(Applause.)But in America, and in South Africa, and in countries all around the globe, we cannot allow our progress to cloud the fact that our work is not yet done.我们知道,正如南非一样,美国也是经过数百年才消除了种族压迫。也正如这里一样,它是以牺牲为代价——在新的一天曙光来临之前,无数知名和不知名的人做出了牺牲。米歇尔和我是这场斗争的受益者。(掌声)但是在美国、在南非、在世界上所有的国家,我们都不能因为已经取得的进步而无视我们的事业尚未完成这一事实。
The struggles that follow the victory of formal equality or universal franchise may not be as filled with drama and moral clarity as those that came before, but they are no less important.For around the world today, we still see children suffering from hunger and disease.We still see run-down schools.We still see young people without prospects for the future.Around the world today, men and women are still imprisoned for their political beliefs, and are still persecuted for what they look like, and how they worship, and who they love.That is happening today.(Applause.)在追求正式平等或普选权利方面取得胜利之后,这场斗争可能不像过去那样惊心动魄,其道义也不像过去那样泾渭分明,但其重要性并没有丝毫减弱。因为,今天在世界上许多地方,我们仍然看到孩子们遭受饥饿和病痛,我们仍然看到破旧的学校,我们仍然看到年轻人没有光明的未来。今天,在世界上许多地方,人们仍然由于其政治信念而被投入监狱,仍然由于他们的外貌、他们的宗教信仰和他们的性爱选择而受到迫害。这种情况在今天仍然继续发生。(掌声)
And so we, too, must act on behalf of justice.We, too, must act on behalf of peace.There are too many people who happily embrace Madiba’s legacy of racial reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality.There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people.(Applause.)And there are too many of us on the sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard.因此,我们也必须秉持正义。我们也必须维护和平。有太多的人欣然接受“马迪巴”的种族和解遗产,却热衷于抵制最温和的旨在减少长期贫困和日益增大的贫富差距的改革措施。有太多的领导人声称支持“马迪巴”争取自由的斗争,却容不得本国人民有不同意见。(掌声)当我们必须发出声音的时候,我们中间有太多人袖手旁观、自满自得或无动于衷。
The questions we face today--how to promote equality and justice;how to uphold freedom and human rights;how to end conflict and sectarian war--these things do not have easy answers.But there were no easy answers in front of that child born in World War I.Nelson Mandela reminds us that it always seems impossible until it is done.South Africa shows that is true.South Africa shows we can change, that we can choose a world defined not by our differences, but by our common hopes.We can choose a world defined not by conflict, but by peace and justice and opportunity.我们今天面临的问题——如何促进平等和正义、如何支持自由和人权、如何制止冲突和派系战争——并没有简单的答案。但是,对于那个出生于一次世界大战期间的孩子而言也没有简单的答案。纳尔逊·曼德拉提醒我们,一项事业在成功之前往往看起来希望渺茫。南非证实了这一点。南非表明,我们能够推动变革,我们能够选择一个由我们的共同希望而不是相互差异所主导的世界。我们能够选择一个由和平、正义和机会而不是冲突所主导的世界。
We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again.But let me say to the young people of Africa and the young people around the world--you, too, can make his life’s work your own.Over 30 years ago, while still a student, I learned of Nelson Mandela and the struggles taking place in this beautiful land, and it stirred something in me.It woke me up to my responsibilities to others and to myself, and it set me on an improbable journey that finds me here today.And while I will always fall short of Madiba’s example, he makes me want to be a better man.(Applause.)He speaks to what’s best inside us.我们不会再看到纳尔逊·曼德拉这样的伟人。但是,我要对非洲的年轻人和全世界的年轻人说:你们也能够把他毕生的事业化作自己的事业。三十多年前,当我还是一名学生的时候,我了解到纳尔逊·曼德拉以及在这片美丽的土地上正在进行的斗争,它深深地触动了我。它唤醒了我对他人和自己的责任感,它使我踏上了一个看似毫无希望的旅程,而这个旅程在今天把我带到这里。虽然我永远不可能与“马迪巴”比肩,但他激励着我不断自新。(掌声)他唤醒了我们内心最美好的愿望。
After this great liberator is laid to rest, and when we have returned to our cities and villages and rejoined our daily routines, let us search for his strength.Let us search for his largeness of spirit somewhere inside of ourselves.And when the night grows dark, when injustice weighs heavy on our hearts, when our best-laid plans seem beyond our reach, let us think of Madiba and the words that brought him comfort within the four walls of his cell: “It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”
在这位伟大的解放者进入长眠之后,当我们返回各自的城市与村庄和我们的日常工作之时,让我们去发现他的力量,让我们从自己内心深处去发现他博大宽厚的精神。当夜幕降临,当非正义沉重地压在我们的心头,当我们精心制定的计划似乎永不可能实现,让我们想起“马迪巴”以及身陷囹圄时给他带来安慰的诗句:“尽管大门又紧又窄,尽管难逃重重磨难,我主宰着自己的命运:我是自己灵魂的船长。”
What a magnificent soul it was.We will miss him deeply.May God bless the memory of Nelson Mandela.May God bless the people of South Africa.(Applause.)这是多么伟大的灵魂。我们将深深地怀念他。愿上帝保佑纳尔逊•曼德拉的记忆。愿上帝保佑南非人民。(掌声)
第五篇:奥巴马在曼德拉追悼会上致辞
奥巴马在曼德拉追悼会上致辞
谢谢各位!非常感谢大家!首先我想向曼德拉家族成员、祖马总统、尊敬的各位各国的代表们、尊敬的各位嘉宾,我觉得我今天非常荣幸在此参加曼德拉的追悼会,来纪念这一个卓越非凡的人。
各位南非的人民们,来自各行各业的人,全世界感谢你们,让你们的国度诞生了曼德拉这位伟人,他的一生是伟大的一生,是你们的尊容。而他为你们获得了自由和民主,这是他留下的宝贵财富。我们现在难以用言语去表达我们对曼德拉的热爱,很难用一些数据、事实去描绘一个人的一生。我们用很多不同的事让我们心意相连。
在这个艰难的时刻,在历史的重要时刻,我们要让一个国家走向正义是需要突破艰难险阻的。在一家之中出生,生于权利之家,他在部落里面成长起来。曼德拉是20世纪最伟大的自由的斗士,而他引领了反非自由运动,而这个运动也获得了成功。就像马丁·路德·金博士一样,他代表那些被压迫的人们发出了声音,引领他们追求正义。而他忍受了监狱的苦难,忍受了不幸和磨难,而直到冷战终结。
在他从监狱获得自由之后,他把国家又重新团结起来,就像林肯总统那样,他是国家的缔造者,他为下一代人建立了自由的基础。而他为国家塑造起来了民主和法治的基础,而且在一任总统任期之后就自愿选择从权利的高位下退出。在他的一生当中他取得了辉煌的成就。
我们记得曼德拉是我们的偶像,是我们的领袖,他永远带着微笑,但同时他又是坚强的自强不息的斗士。但是曼德拉也与我们分享他的疑惑,还有在他的一些光辉成就当中的疑虑。他说,如果你觉得所谓的圣人就是虽然犯错但是永不放弃的人,而他也承认他的不完美。他有着幽默感,即使他身负重担但是仍然微笑着面对生活。他是有血有肉的真实的一个人,有着自己的情感,他既是一位导师,又是我们亲密的朋友,这是我们为什么从他身上学习到如此多的东西。
他的成就是卓越的,是无与伦比的,在他的一生当中我们看到了他不屈不挠的斗争,他的勇气、信仰、耐心和坚持,他向我们展示了人类的潜力,不仅是历史上一些光辉的章节,而是我们看到的实实在在的成就,他也让我们看到了行动的力量。
看到了他为理想所付出的艰辛的努力,从曼德拉身上我们看到了,他从他的父亲那里继承了勇气和不懈斗争的精神。而为成千上万的人争取尊严,即使他在监狱当中也心怀人民。就像我们历史上的巨人一样,他跨越了艰险。
曼德拉控制了愤怒,而是抛出了仇恨,让人们可以获得和解,可以重寻人的尊严。即使他面临着艰难,但是他帮助我们一同去寻求正义。他说,我为了白人的统治和黑人的统治都征战过、奋斗过、抗争过,我是希望所有的人能够平等自由的生活着。正是在这样的理想之下我们希望能够把他的精神传承下来,我会为我所热爱的人们,为他们做好风险的准备。
曼德拉向我们展示了行动的成就,他告诉了我们思考和理性的重要性,他告诉我们不仅要去坚持赞同的人,同时要去尊重他们即使反对人的意见。而且他把自己的经历作为磨炼,他把他的知识传授下去,影响他人。他在奋斗的过程当中不断地学习,这样才能够向人们展示打破了种族隔离的自由是多么宝贵和重要。
曼德拉向我们展示出了想法,仅仅有想法是不够的。不管想法有多么正确,同时也要受到法律和制度的运输。他非常实际,把自己的信仰在实践当中和历史情况当中加以实验。但是在核心价值观方面是绝不动摇的,所以说他也提醒我们即便是身处牢狱当中也可以有奋斗精神。
但是他在监狱当中仍然制订法律,而且不为了个人的利益而牺牲大的原则。而且他也创造了南非的《宪法》,创造了反种族制度的民主,保护了少数人的利益及大多数的利益,以及每一个南非人的自由权利。
最终曼德拉代表了人类精神的纽带,在南非有这样一个词,这个词其实就描绘了曼德拉最伟大的天赋,他意识到人类永远有一条看不到的纽带连接在一起,但是人性是统一的。我们在传承精神的过程当中能够实现自我,我们永远不知道这样的力量有多强,是不是这样的力量支撑他在幽暗的监狱当中坚持奋斗。但是他却在救人总统的时候向全世界人介绍他的监狱看守,他把他家人离世的心痛转化为爱滋病寻找救治方法的努力。
他不仅代表了伟大,还教会了这么多人如何在自在寻找真理。就是像曼德拉这样的人能够解放不仅是囚犯,同时能够解放看守囚犯的人。而且教会其他人如何信任自己,而且他教给我们和解不是一条残忍的道路,而是通过包容、宽大和真理来化解这些分歧,他改变了法律,也改变了人心。
对于南非的民众来说,对于那些全球范围内受过他激励的人,曼德拉的离世绝对是无比悲痛的时刻,他们都在为他哀悼,庆祝英雄般的一生。但是我相信这也是我们每个人自省的一刻,我们必须要贪嗔地面对自己,无论外界条件如何都要问自己我们有没有在自己的生活当中运用到曼德拉的精神,运用到他教给我们的品质。
我自己也在思考,作为一个总统、作为一个人,我们知道像南非那样,美国也有过种族制度的统治,我们也为此斗争和奋斗长达几十年。正是那些知名和不知名的人奋斗才有今天,我的夫人和我正是这种成果的受益者。但是在美国,还有在南非,以及全球各国,我们不能够允许我们的进步遮蔽这样的事实,就是我们的工作尚未完成,仍然任重而道远。
实现平等的路上仍然有很多工作要做,可能没有过去来的那么排山倒海,但是仍然有很多的工作要做。我们现在仍然看到孩子们忍饥挨饿死于疾病,我们看到学校被炸毁,看到年轻人完全看不到未来的希望,在世界各国我们看到有许多人仍然因为他们的政治信仰而入狱。
仍然因为他们的宗教信仰,因为他们的兴趣,因为他们所爱的人而蒙受牢狱之灾,现在这种情况仍然在发生。所以我们也必须为了公正而战,为公正而行动,为和平而行动。现在还有太多的人没有能够获得曼德拉所取得的成就的问责,他们仍然经受着种族歧视的煎熬,仍然生活在水深火热贫困当中。
曼德拉致力于自由,有很多领导说是维护曼德拉的价值观,但是却不能够宽容的对待他们自己的民众。而我们有很多人在边线当中生活,我们就坐在一旁,却没有发出自己的声音。我们的声音必须要听到我们当前面临的问题,比如说推动和平和公正,如何推动自由和人权,如何结束纷争以及战争。这一些问题不好解答,也不好解决,但是很多问题都不好解答。比如说在一战当中出生了曼德拉,也业面临着那么多的难题,但是他却会在解决问题之前不断地奋斗,直到一切解决为止。
南非展示给我们,我们可以变化,我们可以建造这样一个世界,根基不是我们之间的差异,而是我们之间的共同点;不是纷争,而是机会和和平。我们无法再见到曼德拉了,但是我想告诉南非的年轻人,以及世界各国的年轻人。你们也可以使他的人生变成你们自己的。
在三十年前我还是一个学生,我学习了曼德拉的事迹了,了解了他在南非国土上所做出的奋斗。当时点燃了我身体当中的某些信念,使我想到了我的责任对我自己和其他人的责任,使我踏上这样一条旅程,一直到我今天所在的位置。我永远无法成为像曼德拉那样伟大的人,但是他让我想成为更好的人。他能唤醒我们每个人心中最美好的部分。
他这个伟大的自由斗士已然安息,我们会回到各自的生活和工作岗位,重新开始我们的日常生活。在这个过程当中让我们继续找寻他的力量,找寻他伟大的精神,就在我们自己的心中,在我们自己的体内找到他的这种精神。当我们的心上仍然受到不公正的负担,似乎美好的远景无法实现,在这些时候让我们想想曼德拉,还有他刻在监狱墙壁上的字。不管惩罚多么严厉,我仍然会掌握我自己的命运,我是我灵魂的船长,多么伟大的灵魂啊。我们深切地思念他,愿上帝保佑曼德拉的灵魂,愿上帝保佑南非民众!
曼德拉给予人们的启示:曼德拉的伟大在于他的对南非这个国家的民族融合所做的伟大贡献,在曼德拉担任总统之前,南非的种族歧视是很严重的,曼德拉的伟大在于他不但解除了这种及其不人道的种族歧视,而且化解了民族矛盾:“要尊重别人(别的民族、人种)的生存权利!”