VIDEO: Nelson Mandela’s grandchildren pay tribute at memorial service
World leaders, family, friends and thousands of mourners who queued for hours to secure a seat in Johannesburg’s FNB stadium paid tribute to South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.
READ MORE: Mourners and world leaders gather in South Africa for Mandela memorial
Here’s a selection of quotes from the speeches from mourners attending Nelson Mandela’s memorial service:
U.S. President Barack Obama:
“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…. In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness; through persistence and faith … He accepted the consequences of his actions, knowing that standing up to powerful interests and injustice carries a price … We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. But let me say to the people of Africa, and young people around the world: You can make his life’s work your own.”
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“To him, life was all about service to others,” said family member Gen. Thanduxolo Mandela. “He mingled with kings, queens and presidents … At the core, he was a man of the people.
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“Let us pay tribute to Nelson Mandela: The ultimate symbol of dignity and unwavering dedication to the revolutionary struggle, to freedom and justice , a prophet of unity, peace and reconciliation,” Cuban President Raul Castro said through a translator. “As Mandela’s life teaches us, only the concerted effort of all nations will empower humanity to respond to the enormous challenges that today threatens its very existence,” he said, appealing for a global Mandela-inspired spirit of unity.
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“Mr. Mandela was more than one of the greatest pillars of our time,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his speech at the service. “He was one of our greatest teachers. He taught by example. He sacrificed so much … for freedom and equality, for democracy and justice.”
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“He also was a source of inspiration for similar struggles in Brazil and across South America,” Brazilian President President Dilma Rousseff said through a translator. “His fight reached way beyond his nation’s border and inspired young men and women to fight for independence and social justice.”
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“Mr. Mandela was the pride of the African people,” Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao said through a translator. “He has dedicated his entire life to the development and progress of the African content.”
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“His life was just an extraordinary journey, from beginning to end, with such an effect, both on his own country, and on the rest of the world,” former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said before the service. “So, enjoy today, enjoy and celebrate what he achieved. We may not see his like again.”
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“I think Madiba would like us to celebrate and not be sad, to have smiles on our faces,” said Muhammad Choonara, a 24-year-old university student, before the memorial. Madiba is Mandela’s clan name that most South African use as an endearment when speaking about the former president.
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