Home / Quotes / Quote by Ishmael Beah

Quote by Ishmael Beah

“I had a very simple, unremarkable and happy life. And I grew up in a very small town. And so my life was made up of, you know, in the morning going to the river to fetch water - no tap water, and no electricity - and, you know, bathing in the river, and then going to school, and playing soccer afterwards.”

Quote by Ishmael Beah

Author

Ishmael Beah is a former child soldier, writer, and human rights activist. During the Liberian Civil War, he was recruited as a soldier and experienced the harsh realities of war. After the war, with the help of UNICEF, he returned to school and completed his education. His memoir, 'A Long Way Gone', which tells his personal experiences, has received widespread attention and acclaim, winning him numerous awards. He is also actively involved in human rights activities, dedicated to raising awareness about the issue of child soldiers. more

You May Also Like

“I lay in my bed night after night staring at the ceiling and thinking, Why have I survived the war? Why was I the last person in my immediate family to be alive? I didn’t know.”

Thinking Knows Persons War Lasts Night Alive Bed Lays Staring Survived Ceilings Immediate Family

Book:A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

Source: A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

“The places I come from have such rich languages, such a variety of expression. In Sierra Leone we have about fifteen languages and three dialects. I grew up speaking about seven of them.”

Three Language Rich Expression Grew Grew Up Seven Variety Fifteen Dialect Sierra Sierra Leone

Book:Radiance of Tomorrow: A Novel

Source: Radiance of Tomorrow: A Novel

“In early 1993, when I was 12, I was separated from my family as the Sierra Leone civil war, which began two years earlier, came into my life.”

Years Two War My Family Civil War Two Years Sierra Sierra Leone

Author:Ishmael Beah

“I guess what I'd like to say is that people in Sierra Leone are human beings, just like Americans. They want to send their kids to school; they want to live in peace; they want to have their basic rights of life just like everyone else. I think we all owe an obligation to support people who want to do that.”

People Thinking Want Humans Kids School Human Beings Support Rights Obligation Sierra Basic Rights Sierra Leone

Author:Ishmael Beah

“Whenever I speak at the United Nations, UNICEF or elsewhere to raise awareness of the continual and rampant recruitment of children in wars around the world, I come to realize that I still do not fully understand how I could have possibly survived the civil war in my country, Sierra Leone.”

World Children Stills War Country Speak Nations Realizing United Awareness Raises Around The World Civil War Elsewhere Survived United Nations Sierra Recruitment Unicef Sierra Leone

Author:Ishmael Beah

“I grew up in Sierra Leone, in a small village where as a boy my imagination was sparked by the oral tradition of storytelling. At a very young age I learned the importance of telling stories - I saw that stories are the most potent way of seeing anything we encounter in our lives, and how we can deal with living.”

“Black folks in America are telling one party, 'We don't give a damn about you.' They're telling the other party, 'You've got our vote.' Therefore, you have labeled yourself 'disenfranchised' because one party knows they've got you under their thumb. The other party knows they'll never get you and nobody comes to address your interest.”

Knows Giving America Black Interest Party Vote Folks Damn Addresses Thumbs Don't Give A Damn Disenfranchised

Author:Stephen A. Smith

“Music is all about transporting people, speaking a language which languages fail to express.”

People Language Failing Music Is

Author:A. R. Rahman

“I want to go beyond the restrictions of language, religion and caste, and music is the only thing that allows me to do that.”

Want Language Music Is Restriction Castes

Author:A. R. Rahman

“In my opinion, everybody has the same soul from God and we are united by that. Outside, our bodies are different, our faces are different, but inside we are all the same, we share the same feelings of sadness, love, pain My music comes out of these feelings. Whether it is Japanese music, African, Qawalli, or any other form of music, if it touches your heart it becomes important for me.”

Ifs Heart Important Different Soul Feelings Body Pain Faces Form United Opinion Sadness Share Love Pain

Author:A. R. Rahman