I think that my darkest moment was the Iraq war and the fact that we could not stop it. — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
You may have noticed over the years that the UN became a bit more media-friendly, a bit more open to the media… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
Education is the great equalizer of our time. It gives hope to the hopeless and creates chances for those without... — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
The future belongs to you, but it can only belong to you if you participate and take charge — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children. — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
Children are our future and if we use them in battle, we are destroying the future. We must reclaim them, every one… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
No one is born a good citizen or a good democrat or a good leader; it takes time and education. — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
I think the US and UK thought if they gave a bit more time to Israel, they would crush Hezbollah. But it… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
When economic conditions are difficult, people tend to be less generous and protect themselves; the question of solidarity doesn't mean much to… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
Most people forget that even in Iraq, by the time the air and no-fly zone was established, the air defence system had… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
We cannot wait for governments to do it all. Globalization operates on Internet time. Governments tend to be slow moving by nature,… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
The young and dynamic and idealistic people in the square do not have the chance to organise themselves politically, to be able… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
The future of peace and prosperity that we seek for all the world's peoples needs a foundation of tolerance, security, equality and… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
In the past we could afford a long gestation period before undertaking major environmental policy initiatives. Today the time for a well-planned… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
To look into some aspects of the future, we do not need projections by supercomputers. Much of the next millennium can be… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
One must also acknowledge that there are moments in an organisation's development when fresh blood and new vision are required, which may… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
Over time you get to understand the nature of man and the environments you are dealing with, and you can't always allow… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
Sometimes I walk into a situation and I know somebody is going to provoke me - not maybe, I know he will… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
There was a time, with the Berlin Wall down, that [it looked as if] the UN finally could do what it was… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
The past year's natural disasters have highlighted the invaluable contributions of volunteers in our communities. They have volunteered their time, energy and… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
Over time you learn to know a bit more about yourself - you develop a certain amount of self-insight and self-awareness, and… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
It may seem sometimes as if a culture of peace does not stand a chance against the culture of war, the culture… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
One has to have the strength of character to say the time has come to move on... unless you are a king. — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
I hope we do not see another Iraq-type operation for a long time - without UN approval and much broader support from… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
The future of peace and prosperity that we seek for all the world's peoples needs a foundation of tolerance, security, equality and… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
The global work of the United Nations is not without reason compared to that of a family - striving for a common… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
I think the generational change is going to be so important for Africa that we really should encourage and push it as… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
Sometimes I walk into a situation and I know somebody is going to provoke me - not maybe, I know he will… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
I think over time you learn to know a bit more about yourself - you develop a certain amount of self-insight and… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
...let us recognize that extreme poverty anywhere is a threat to human security everywhere. Let us recall that poverty is a denial… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
From this vision of the role of the United Nations in the next century flow three key priorities for the future: eradicating… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
Time and again, when member states and the governments are faced with an insoluble problem, and they're under pressure to do something,… — Kofi Annan Copy Share Image
All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated. — Kofi Annan Copy Share
UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
We were all children once. And we all share the desire for the well-being of our children, which has always been and will continue… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
You will recall that for months after 9/11, there was incredible support and sympathy for the US. I really hoped and wished they had… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
A nation has the right to defend itself, but when it comes to the broader issue of peace and security, the legitimacy rests only… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
Sometimes when you take a tough action against one side in the conflict, they see you as part of the conflict and they attack… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
Some have suggested that ideally there must be some international body that would treat areas like the Arctic as a global commerce, a bit… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
In an age of interdependence, global citizenship - based on trust and sense of shared responsibility - is a crucial pillar of progress. At… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
We knew the Syrian situation was complex and there were lots of divisions, particularly on the side of the opposition... This is a tough… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
The question is the morning after. What sort of Iraq do we wake up to after the bombing? What happens in the region? What… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
Can the state, which represents the whole of society and has the duty of protecting society, fulfill that duty by lowering itself to the… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
As long as inequality and other social problems plague us, populists will try to exploit them. — Kofi Annan Copy Share
Developing and newer democracies are much more susceptible to the tactics of populists and demagogues - they often do not have strong institutions, free… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
The young and dynamic and idealistic people in the square do not have the chance to organise themselves politically, to be able to follow… — Kofi Annan Copy Share
![“There was a time, with the Berlin Wall down, that [it looked as if] the UN finally could do what it was set up to do, the rivalry between the two camps would dissipate, and we could all co-operate. And then, of course, Iraq came and blew it all apart. These upheavals will always take place in the…” quote by Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/48a/kofi-annan-799_berlin_there-was-a-time-with-the-berlin-wall-do_2422463.png)
