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Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai Quotes

Political Activist

Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan political activist and environmentalist who became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Born on April 1, 1940, and passing away on September 25, 2011, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots organization dedicated to environmental conservation and women's rights.

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Famous Wangari Maathai Quotes

“Why has there been so much secrecy about AIDS? When you ask where did the virus come from, it raises a lot of flags. That makes me suspicious.”

Asks Raises Aids Flags Secrecy Suspicious Viruses

Author:Wangari Maathai

“We do the right thing not to please people but because it's the only logically reasonable thing to do, as long as we are being honest with ourselves - even if we are the only ones.”

People Ifs Long Honest Please Being Honest Things To Do Right Thing Reasonable

Author:Wangari Maathai

“Disempowerment - whether defined in terms of a lack of self-confidence , apathy, fear, or an inability to take charge of one's own life - is perhaps the most unrecognised problem in Africa today.”

Self Problem Today Life Is Term Self Confidence Defined Apathy Inability Lack Of Self Confidence Disempowerment

Author:Wangari Maathai

“Culture defines who we are and how we see ourselves. A new attitude toward nature provides space for a new attitude toward culture and the role it plays in sustainable development”

Play Culture Space Attitude Roles Development Who We Are Sustainable Development New Attitude

Author:Wangari Maathai

“No matter who or where we are, or what our capabilities, we are called to do the best we can.”

Matter Capability Do The Best

Author:Wangari Maathai

“If you make mistakes that is alright because we all make mistakes and we learn from those mistakes. You gain confidence from learning, failing and rising again.”

Ifs Mistake Failing Gains Rising Making Mistakes Alright We All Make Mistakes Gaining Confidence Rising Again

Author:Wangari Maathai

“We can love ourselves by loving the earth.”

Book:Replenishing the Earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the World

Source: Replenishing the Earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the World

“We think that diamonds are very important, gold is very important, all these minerals are very important. We call them precious minerals, but they are all forms of the soil. But that part of this mineral that is on top, like it is the skin of the earth, that is the most precious of the commons.”

Thinking Important Earth Form Gold Skins Soil Diamond Minerals

Author:Wangari Maathai

“There's a general culture in this country to cut all the trees. It makes me so angry because everyone is cutting and no one is planting.”

Country Culture Cutting Tree Angry

Author:Wangari Maathai

“I don't really know why I care so much. I just have something inside me that tells me that there is a problem, and I have got to do something about it. I think that is what I would call the God in me.”

Thinking Knows Problem Care I Care

Author:Wangari Maathai

“All of us have a God in us, and that God is the spirit that unites all life, everything that is on this planet.”

Spirit Planets Earth Day Green Earth Happy Earth Day

Author:Wangari Maathai

About the Author

Born: April 1, 1940
Died: September 25, 2011
Known for: Political Activist
Quotes: 161

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People Ifs Needs Environment Government Tree Thinking World Knows Resources

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Books & Sources

Replenishing the Earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the WorldRelated source material

The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach and the ExperienceRelated source material

UnbowedRelated source material

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