--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Without white South Africa realizing what…" description: "\"Without white South Africa realizing what it had done - and on the basis of that realization having the courage to ask for forgiveness - there can real..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/athol-fugard-13222_africa_without-white-south-africa-realizing-wha_2947413.jpg" --- # Without white South Africa realizing what it had done… ![“Without white South Africa realizing what it had done - and on the basis of that realization having the courage to ask for forgiveness - there can really be no significant movement.” quote by Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/athol-fugard-13222_africa_without-white-south-africa-realizing-wha_2947413.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/athol-fugard-13222_africa_without-white-south-africa-realizing-wha_2947413.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/athol-fugard-13222_africa_without-white-south-africa-realizing-wha_2947413.jpg) > “Without white South Africa realizing what it had done - and on the basis of that realization having the courage to ask for forgiveness - there can really be no significant movement.” [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True progress requires acknowledging past wrongs and seeking forgiveness; without this, meaningful change cannot happen. **In simple terms:** Admitting mistakes and asking forgiveness is essential for real change. Key Takeaway Seek truth and forgiveness to move forward. Themes reconciliation justice history forgiveness social change Mood hopeful reflective serious Type political inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - national dialogue - truth commissions - community healing Key Concepts post-apartheid healing collective memory political accountability Questions to Reflect On - What steps can societies take to foster genuine forgiveness? - How can individuals contribute to collective healing? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be resisted by those who feel unready to confront painful histories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [Ask For Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-for-forgiveness/) [Asking for forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-for-forgiveness/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [South africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-africa/) ## Related quotes > [There is no sin that God cannot pardon. All we need to do is ask for forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/there-is-no-sin-that-god-cannot-pardon-all-we-need-to-do-is-ask-for/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Sister, I won't ask for forgiveness, my sins are all I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/sister-i-won-t-ask-for-forgiveness-my-sins-are-all-i-have/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I suppose that now would be the time to ask for forgiveness for all the things I've done, but I'm sure my list would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-suppose-that-now-would-be-the-time-to-ask-for-forgiveness-for-all-2/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [My desire is to stand up and brush myself off when I make mistakes and ask for forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-turner/my-desire-is-to-stand-up-and-brush-myself-off-when-i-make-mistakes/) [Janine Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-turner/) > [Certainly people make mistakes in their life. I'm no different, I've made mistakes. When people mess up, we forgive them. When I mess up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/certainly-people-make-mistakes-in-their-life-i-m-no-different-i-ve/) [Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/) > [We ask for forgiveness. And we forgive others who ask us. In that way we can experience healing, healing in our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-dobson/we-ask-for-forgiveness-and-we-forgive-others-who-ask-us-in-that-way/) Ed Dobson > [The things the writers have me doing on 'Suburgatory' are insane. I think they think it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-hines/the-things-the-writers-have-me-doing-on-suburgatory-are-insane-i/) [Cheryl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-hines/) > [And the only thing to do with a sin is to confess, do penance and then, after some kind of decent interval, ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/and-the-only-thing-to-do-with-a-sin-is-to-confess-do-penance-and-then/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [I could not ask for forgiveness for something I had not done. As scapegoat, I could only bear the fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/i-could-not-ask-for-forgiveness-for-something-i-had-not-done-as/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [Every time you ask for forgiveness, you recognize that the biggest problems you face in life exist inside of you, not outside of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/every-time-you-ask-for-forgiveness-you-recognize-that-the-biggest/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [If you cannot find time to pray, ask for forgiveness. Ask to be cleansed of the sin of having no time to pray ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/if-you-cannot-find-time-to-pray-ask-for-forgiveness-ask-to-be/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [Jesus is my role model and He is whom I try to follow. Everything I do, I know I'm representing Him. Does it mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-diaz/jesus-is-my-role-model-and-he-is-whom-i-try-to-follow-everything-i-do/) [Matt Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-diaz/) > [If only I wasn't an atheist, I could get away with anything. You'd just ask for forgiveness and then you'd be forgiven. It sounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keira-knightley/if-only-i-wasn-t-an-atheist-i-could-get-away-with-anything-you-d-just/) [Keira Knightley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keira-knightley/) > [ “People in the world ask for forgiveness, but \[true\] ‘pratikraman’ does not happen by doing that. That is like when people casually say ‘sorry’… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/people-in-the-world-ask-for-forgiveness-but-true-pratikraman-does-not/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Holy Mother Church teaches us to end the year and also our days with an examination of conscience...to be grateful and to ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/holy-mother-church-teaches-us-to-end-the-year-and-also-our-days-with/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More by Athol Fugard > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [Love is the only energy I’ve ever used as a writer. I’ve never written out of anger, although anger has informed love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/love-is-the-only-energy-i-ve-ever-used-as-a-writer-i-ve-never-written/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [I've had one experience of writer's block in my life, and it was living hell. It was a terror for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/i-ve-had-one-experience-of-writer-s-block-in-my-life-and-it-was/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [The reason I'm in San Diego is not because I want distance from South Africa but because I want proximity to the people I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/the-reason-i-m-in-san-diego-is-not-because-i-want-distance-from-south/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going-2/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [“It's just that life felt the right size in there... not too big and not too small. Wasn't so hard to work up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/it-s-just-that-life-felt-the-right-size-in-there-not-too-big-and-not/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [In South Africa, success never presented the problems that it presents in New York. In New York, if you happen to be the flavor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/in-south-africa-success-never-presented-the-problems-that-it-presents/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [Night-time is when I brainstorm; last thing, when the family's asleep and I'm alone, I think about the next day's writing and plan a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/night-time-is-when-i-brainstorm-last-thing-when-the-family-s-asleep/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [All of my life had been spent in the shadow of apartheid. And when South Africa went through its extraordinary change in 1994, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/all-of-my-life-had-been-spent-in-the-shadow-of-apartheid-and-when/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [“Aman cant spend his life with only one thought”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/aman-cant-spend-his-life-with-only-one-thought/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [A very close friend of mine keeps reminding me that since about the age of 50, I've been saying, 'I'm finished. I haven't got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/a-very-close-friend-of-mine-keeps-reminding-me-that-since-about-the/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [To know nothing about yourself is to be constantly in danger of nothingness, those voids of non-being over which a man walks the tightrope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/to-know-nothing-about-yourself-is-to-be-constantly-in-danger-of/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [My essential identity is that of a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-essential-identity-is-that-of-a-writer/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [For you in the West to hear the phrase 'All men are created equal' is to draw a yawn. For us, it's a miracle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/for-you-in-the-west-to-hear-the-phrase-all-men-are-created-equal-is/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [As fascinated as I was by words on paper, it was matched by my fascination with words in people's mouths. The spoken word. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/as-fascinated-as-i-was-by-words-on-paper-it-was-matched-by-my/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) [Explore all 51 Athol Fugard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) ## More Africa quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [South Africa needs a second liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/south-africa-needs-a-second-liberation/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [In Africa, animals and the natural landscape allow local communities to support themselves, as there is a constant source of money from tourism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/in-africa-animals-and-the-natural-landscape-allow-local-communities/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [My mom is from Ghana, and my dad is from Detroit, so I would go back and forth to Africa a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/my-mom-is-from-ghana-and-my-dad-is-from-detroit-so-i-would-go-back/) [Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/) [Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/) > [I represent my country, but I also represent the continent of Africa when I play in Europe. That's why it's important to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaya-toure/i-represent-my-country-but-i-also-represent-the-continent-of-africa/) [Yaya Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaya-toure/) > [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. 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I told her about 'Coraline' long before the film was made, and she got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/my-mother-is-a-huge-fan-of-my-work-i-told-her-about-coraline-long/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) [Browse all 1,665 Africa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Without white South Africa realizing what it had done - and on the basis of that realization having the courage to ask for forgiveness - there can really be no significant movement.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Athol Fugard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/without-white-south-africa-realizing-what-it-had-done-and-on-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Africa" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/without-white-south-africa-realizing-what-it-had-done-and-on-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/athol-fugard-13222_africa_without-white-south-africa-realizing-wha_2947413.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/athol-fugard-13222_africa_without-white-south-africa-realizing-wha_2947413.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/athol-fugard-13222_africa_without-white-south-africa-realizing-wha_2947413.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Without white South Africa realizing what it had done - and on the basis of that realization having the…” — Athol Fugard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Athol Fugard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Without white South Africa realizing what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/without-white-south-africa-realizing-what-it-had-done-and-on-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/without-white-south-africa-realizing-what-it-had-done-and-on-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```