Kofi Atta Annan was the seventeenth Secretary-General of the United Nations. He received the ‘Nobel Peace Prize’ in 2001. Annan was one of the 12 honorary members of the non-profit organization – ‘The Elders’, which was initiated by Nelson Mandela to resolve some of the world’s most intractable conflicts. He was also the founding chairman of the ‘Kofi Annan Foundation’, whose fundamental aim is to promote global peace and better governance. Annan was instrumental in combating rampant HIV epidemic in Africa. Here are some of the Kofi Annan quotes.
“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.”
“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.”
“Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family”
“Education is, quite simply, peace-building by another name. It is the most effective form of defense spending there is.”
“We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.”
“Tolerance, inter-cultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever in a world where peoples are becoming more and more closely interconnected.”
“Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.”
“You can do a lot with diplomacy, but with diplomacy backed up by force you can get a lot more done.”
“We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children. ”
“It has been said that arguing against globalisation is like arguing against the laws of gravity. ”
“I am often asked what can people do to become a good global citizen. I reply that it begins in your own community.”
“We need to keep hope alive and strive to do better. ”
“We must ensure that the global market is embedded in broadly shared values and practices that reflect global social needs, and that all the world’s people share the benefits of globalization.”