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Kofi Annan

Kofi Annan Quotes

Diplomat

Kofi Annan, born on April 8, 1938, is an accomplished diplomat. He served in various significant roles at the United Nations, culminating in his tenure as the seventh Secretary-General. Known for his contributions to peace and security, Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

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Famous 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.”

Knows Want Inspirational Wells Values Who You Are Frustrated Heartfelt

Author:Kofi Annan

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

“Many African leaders refuse to send their troops on peace keeping missions abroad because they probably need their armies to intimidate their own populations.”

Needs Leader Army Population Refuse Missions Troops Intimidating

Author:Kofi Annan

“More countries have understood that women's equality is a prerequisite for development.”

Country Reality Development Understood Equality Empowering Women Sisterhood Prerequisites Equality Of People

Author:Kofi Annan

“In the rush for justice it is important not to lose sight of principles the country holds dear.”

Important Country Loses Justice Principles Sight Dear Dear God

Author:Kofi Annan

“It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity.”

Has Beens Said Reality Law Arguing Gravity Globalization Globalism Economic Globalization Zero Gravity

Author:Kofi Annan

“Above all else, we need a reaffirmation of political commitment at the highest levels to reducing the dangers that arise both from existing nuclear weapons and from further proliferation.”

Needs Political Levels Danger Weapons Highest Commitment Nuclear Arise Nuclear Weapons Reducing Disarmament Proliferation Nuclear Disarmament Nuclear Proliferation

Book:Wir die Völker

Source: Wir die Völker

“There is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole - women and men alike - than the one which involves women as central players.”

Men Whole Player Development Men And Women Strategy Beneficial

Author:Kofi Annan

“In the 21st Century I believe the mission of the United Nations will be defined by a new, more profound, awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life, regardless of race or religion.”

“We cannot wait for governments to do it all. Globalization operates on Internet time. Governments tend to be slow moving by nature, because they have to build political support for every step.”

Government Moving Political Waiting Steps Support Internet Globalization Every Step

Author:Kofi Annan

“More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations.”

Ifs Humans Together Faces Nations United Common Destiny Share Masters My Friends Owners United Nations Human History

Author:Kofi Annan

“If the United Nations does not attempt to chart a course for the world's people in the first decades of the new millennium, who will?”

People Ifs World Firsts Doe Courses Nations United Decades United Nations Millennium

Author:Kofi Annan

“We have to choose between a global market driven only by calculations of short-term profit, and one which has a human face.”

Humans Faces Term Profit Driven Globalization Short Term Calculations Human Faces Economic Globalization

Book:We the Peoples: A UN for the Twenty-First Century

Source: We the Peoples: A UN for the Twenty-First Century

“The invasion and occupation of Iraq is illegal.”

Politics Iraq Illegal Occupation Invasion

Author:Kofi Annan

“I urge the Iraqi leadership for sake of its own people... to seize this opportunity and thereby begin to end the isolation and suffering of the Iraqi people.”

People Ends Suffering Opportunity Sake Isolation Urges

Author:Kofi Annan

“The question is the morning after. What sort of Iraq do we wake up to after the bombing? What happens in the region? What impact could it have? These are questions leaders I have spoken to have posed.”

Happens Leader Morning Wake Up Impact Iraq Regions Bombing Morning After

Author:Kofi Annan

“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.”

People World Needs Values Social Practice Share Benefits Globalization Embedded Shared Values Economic Globalization

Author:Kofi Annan

“The number one goal in resolving a conflict is to make sure both sides maintain their self-esteem. You don't hit a man on the head when you've got your fingers between his teeth.”

Men Self Sides Goal Numbers Self Esteem Conflict Fingers Teeth Esteem Both Sides

Author:Kofi Annan

“Landmines are among the most barbaric weapons of war, because they continue to kill and maim innocent people long after the war itself has ended. Also, fear of them keeps people off the land, and thus prevents them from growing food.”

People Long War Growing Land Weapons Innocent Barbaric Landmines Growing Food

Author:Kofi Annan

“... the long-lasting humanitarian impact of these inhuman weapons continues to deny communities the opportunity to rebuild long after the end of the conflicts.”

Long Ends Opportunity Community Conflict Weapons Impact Deny Humanitarian Lasting Inhuman Long Lasting Landmines

Author:Kofi Annan

“Invite politicians to dinner and let them tell the world how delicious it is. . . . They will proudly go around and say, 'I ate crickets, I ate locusts, and they were delicious.'”

World Politician Dinner Invites Delicious Cricket

Author:Kofi Annan

“Under international law, the responsibility for protecting civilians in conflict falls on the belligerents. Under military occupation, responsibility for the welfare of the population falls on the occupiers.”

Law Fall Responsibility Military Conflict International Iraq Population Welfare Usa Occupation Civilians International Law

Author:Kofi Annan

“The Lord had the wonderful advantage of being able to work alone. Answering why he had not implemented organizational reforms after five months when 'God created the universe in seven day”

Able Universe Work Lord Five Wonderful Months Advantage Seven Reform Organizational Seven Days

Author:Kofi Annan

“In a world of plenty, continued suffering is a terrible stain on our conscience. It is inexcusable that we not strive, with every resource at our disposal, to eliminate suffering.”

World Suffering Change Terrible Conscience Resources Strive Plenty Stains

Author:Kofi Annan

“The World is not ours to keep. We hold it in trust for future generations.”

World Generations Future Generation

Author:Kofi Annan

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

Hate Who We Are

Author:Kofi Annan

“The war on drugs has failed in West Africa and around the world”

World War Drug West Around The World War On Drugs West Africa

Author:Kofi Annan

“No one is born a good citizen or a good democrat or a good leader; it takes time and education.”

Born Leader Citizens Democrat Take Time Good Leader Good Citizen It Takes Time

Author:Kofi Annan

“We shall not defeat any of the infectious diseases that plague the developing world until we have also won the battle for safe drinking water, sanitation, and basic health care.”

World Care Water Battle Safe Disease Drinking Defeat Developing Health Care Plague Drinking Water Sanitation Infectious Diseases Safe Drinking Water Safe Drinking

Author:Kofi Annan

“Young people - with their dynamism, their energy and their inherent understanding of our interconnected world - have much to teach us. Increased educational attainment, advances in technology and the spread of information have made this generation the best educated, most connected and most informed in history”

“I have always believed that on important issues, the leaders must lead. Where the leaders fail to lead, and people are really concerned about it, the people will take the lead and make the leaders follow.”

People Important Leader Issues Failing Concerned Always Believe Important Issues

Author:Kofi Annan

“If one is going to err, one should err on the side of liberty and freedom.”

Ifs Should Sides Liberty Freedom And Liberty

Author:Kofi Annan

“National markets are held together by shared values and confidence in certain minimum standards. But in the new global market, people do not yet have that confidence.”

People Together Certain Values Standards Minimum Shared Values

Author:Kofi Annan

“In their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda.”

People World Needs Hours Rwanda

Author:Kofi Annan

“The United Nations, whose membership comprises almost all the States in the world, is founded on the principle of the equal worth of every human being.”

World Humans States Nations Human Beings United Principles Equal United Nations Membership

Author:Kofi Annan

“We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children.”

Thinking Needs Children Planets Our Children

Author:Kofi Annan

About the Author

Born: April 8, 1938
Known for: Diplomat
Quotes: 336

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World People Humans Ifs Development Nations Needs Country Rights Security

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Books & Sources

The quotable Kofi Annan: selections from speeches and statements by the Secretary-GeneralRelated source material

We the Peoples: A UN for the Twenty-First CenturyRelated source material

Wir die VölkerRelated source material

Interventions: A Life in War and PeaceRelated source material

The question of intervention: statements by the Secretary-GeneralRelated source material

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