Ethiopia Quotes

• Ethiopia always has a special place in my imagination and the prospect of visiting Ethiopia attracted me more strongly than a trip to France, England, and America combined. I felt I would be visiting my own genesis, unearthing the roots of what made me an African.

  Nelson Mandela

  England And America, Roots, Imagination

  Nelson Mandela (2013). “Long Walk To Freedom”, p.190, Hachette UK

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• I wanted the world to know that my country Ethiopia has always won with determination and heroism.

  Abebe Bikila

  Sports, Country, Running

  "50 stunning Olympic moments: Abebe Bikila's 1960 marathon victory - in pictures" by Steven Bloor, www.theguardian.com. April 25, 2012.

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• Wake up Ethiopia! Wake up Africa! Let us work towards the one glorious end of a free, redeemed and mighty nation. Let Africa be a bright star among the constellation of nations.

  Marcus Garvey

  Stars, Wake Up, Literature

  Marcus Garvey (2015). “Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey”, p.8, Ravenio Books

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• 

  Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.

  Haile Selassie

  Procrastination, Should Have, Voice

  1963 Address to a special session of the UN General Assembly, 4 Oct, making him the first head of state to address both that organization and the League of Nations.

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• There were no ugly people in Ethiopia

  Oprah Winfrey

  People, Ugly, Ugly People

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• In Ethiopia, the black people became Christians 1700 years ago, hundreds of years before Northern Europe turned to Christianity... And here, most of the saints are black.

  Henry Louis Gates

  Christian, Years, Europe

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• I don't think I knew how going to Ethiopia would affect my life, through a very simple choice of buying fair-trade coffee, we can take part in change.

  Hugh Jackman

  Life, Change, Coffee

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• I'll be the first US president to not only visit Kenya and Ethiopia, but also to address the continent as a whole, building off the African summit that we did here which was historic and has, I think, deepened the kinds of already strong relationships that we have across the continent.

  Barack Obama

  Strong, Thinking, President

  "Full transcript of BBC interview with President Barack Obama". Interview with Jon Sopel, www.bbc.com. July 24, 2015.

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• Of all the exotic aromas and experiences from my sojourn in Ethiopia, it’s the frankincense I miss most.

  Cathleen Falsani

  Missing, Exotic, Aroma

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• Many people know that Ethiopia is poor. When I break a world record, maybe people get to know something else about Ethiopia, something good. We can't make planes or cars, we don't have the materials. We do what we can.

  Haile Gebrselassie

  People, Car, Records

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• In Ethiopia, food is often looked at through a strong spiritual lens, stronger than anywhere else I know. It's the focal point of weddings, births and funerals and is a daily ceremony from the preparation of the meal and the washing of hands to the sharing of meals.

  Marcus Samuelsson

  Spiritual, Strong, Hands

  "Everybody’s Talking About Food". Huffington Post Article, www.huffingtonpost.com. June 12, 2010.

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• I hope that the day will come when the system will change and all of the people in Ethiopia will have equal rights and I look forward to a day like that where I too can go home and be part of the Ethiopian story.

  Feyisa Lilesa

  Home, Rights, People

  Source: www.sbnation.com

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• Ethiopia did not have the same problem [of corruption]. African leaders looked at us with envy.

  Mengistu Haile Mariam

  Envy, Leader, Problem

  "Mengistu blames Meles for helping Eritrea at UN to split Ethiopia: Mengistu Haile-Mariam speaks". Jimma Times, July 30, 2010.

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• You know the marathon in my country is just exceptional. It's like soccer in England. If England win the world cup and Ethiopia win the marathon - it's the same.

  Haile Gebrselassie

  Soccer, Country, Winning

  "Haile Gebrselassie bows to will of his people for one last hurrah". Interview with Anna Kessel, www.theguardian.com. May 14, 2011.

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• When I run in Ethiopia, I look out and see eucalyptus trees and rivers.

  Haile Gebrselassie

  Running, Rivers, Tree

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• There is not one soul on this planet, whether it is a person living in Ethiopia, or in Florida, or in Canada, whose life is not as complex and as rich as your own.

  Gary Zukav

  Florida, Soul, Canada

  Source: www.williamjames.com

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• This propaganda of dis-associating Western Negroes from Africa is not a new one. For many years white propagandists have been printing tons of literature to impress scattered Ethiopia, especially that portion within their civilization, with the idea that Africa is a despised place, inhabited by savages, and cannibals, where no civilized human being should go, especially black civilized human beings. This propaganda is promulgated for the cause that is being realized today. That cause is COLONIAL EXPANSION for the white nations of the world.

  Marcus Garvey

  Years, Civilization, Ideas

  Marcus Garvey, Amy Jacques Garvey (1923). “The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, Or, Africa for the Africans”, p.54, The Majority Press

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• I feel a social responsibility. We need to open people's eyes. There is a lack of education in Ethiopia.

  Haile Gebrselassie

  Eye, Responsibility, People

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• As many as half of Ethiopias girls become wives before becoming adults. But Ethiopia is also a place where lasting solutions to child marriage are starting to make a difference.

  Helene D. Gayle

  Girl, Children, Differences

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• When I visited coffee farms in Ethiopia, the farmers could not believe we spend a week's wages in their country on a cup of coffee in ours, because they see so little of the profits. Oxfam's fair trade campaign helps right this wrong.

  Colin Firth

  Country, Coffee, Believe

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• Well, talking about Ethiopia is like talking about the whole continent. A month ago we played against AIDS and famine. We also played in Dakar. It is not only the music which is playing an important role on this issue of problems affecting Africa, but the activities of doctors, sportsmen and journalists are also helping in various ways.

  Manu Dibango

  Doctors, Talking, Issues

  "Manu Dibango: Expressing His Creativeness Through The Saxophone". Interview with Joel Savage, joelsavage1.wordpress.com. July 5, 2016.

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• To save my child, I'd rather go hungry. I got all of Ethiopia inside of me.

  Neneh Cherry

  Peace, Children, Special

  Song: Woman, Album: Man

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• There were times when I was frustrated, and cried and felt helpless, but the reality in Ethiopia is that you don't have much of an option. You either keep quiet or you get added to the list of people being jailed or killed.

  Feyisa Lilesa

  Reality, People, Frustrated

  Source: www.sbnation.com

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• I went to Ethiopia, and it dawned on me that you can tell a starving, malnourished person because they've got a bloated belly and a bald head. And I realized that if you come through any American airport and see businessmen running through with bloated bellies and bald heads, that's malnutrition, too.

  Dick Gregory

  Running, Airports, Romance

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• Even if I wanted to run for Ethiopia, I wouldn't expect the government or federation to choose me to do that.

  Feyisa Lilesa

  Running, Government, Choose Me

  Source: www.sbnation.com

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