International Mens Day: 6 most memorable quotes

International Men’s Day, commonly referred top as IMD, is celebrated annually on November 19 in over 80 countries around the world.

Inaugurated in 1992 by Thomas Oaster and revived by Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, the day is meant to celebrate the achievements and contributions of men and boys in the society.

Its different objectives are set out in the Six Pillars Of International Men’s Day.

They include focusing on men’s and boys’ health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, highlighting discrimination against men and promoting male role models which base on men’s contribution to community, family, marriage, and child care.

Some of the most memorable and inspiring quotes from significant men are:

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama was the first African American to be elected as the President of United States of America and he served the country for 8 years.

He once said:

“A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.”

Nelson Mandela

He was South Africa’s first black President, highly celebrated as an anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist.

The late Mandela served as President from 1994 to 1999.

One of his most inspiring quotes says:

“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

Martin Luther King Junior

Before his assassination in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most vocal activists, a visible spokesperson and leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.

Remembered for his famous speech ‘I have a Dream’, one of his most inspiring quote is:

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Albert Einstein

He is renowned in the field of science, having  developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics.

The German-born theoretical physicist once said:

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th President of America who met his untimely death through assassination in 1865 once said:

“Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren’t very new after all.”

Kwame Nkrumah

A revolutionary and the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, Nkrumah is remembered for his efforts of  leading the Gold Coast (Ghana) to independence from Britain in 1957.

He has also been labelled as a Pan-African, having championed for the unity of the continent against colonial imperialism.

He once said:

“The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart.”