--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever I speak at the United Nations…" description: "\"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 ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55f/ishmael-beah-10467_around-the-world_whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-u_3086640.jpg" --- # Whenever I speak at the United Nations, UNICEF or… ![“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.” quote by Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55f/ishmael-beah-10467_around-the-world_whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-u_3086640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55f/ishmael-beah-10467_around-the-world_whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-u_3086640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55f/ishmael-beah-10467_around-the-world_whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-u_3086640.jpg) > “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.” [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on his survival of Sierra Leone's civil war while advocating for child soldiers' protection. **In simple terms:** He survived war but still doubts how. Key Takeaway Survivor resilience fuels advocacy. Themes war child soldiers advocacy Mood reflective determined Type testimonial advocacy When to use this quote - NGO meetings - policy forums - education programs Key Concepts survival psychology human rights Questions to Reflect On - How does personal trauma shape activism? - What can be done to prevent child recruitment? A Different Perspective Survival stories may not capture systemic causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Recruitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recruitment/) [Sierra leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sierra-leone/) [Unicef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unicef/) [United nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-nations/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“We already live on the planet of war, we already live on the red planet, and it's a war against children. All the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/we-already-live-on-the-planet-of-war-we-already-live-on-the-red/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [“The war is against children, and all the other wars are just a shadow of the war on children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/the-war-is-against-children-and-all-the-other-wars-are-just-a-shadow/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [I grew up in Sierra Leone, in a small village where as a boy my imagination was sparked by the oral tradition of storytelling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/i-grew-up-in-sierra-leone-in-a-small-village-where-as-a-boy-my/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [All the wars of the world, all the Caesars, have not the staying power of a lily in a cottage garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reginald-farrer/all-the-wars-of-the-world-all-the-caesars-have-not-the-staying-power/) Reginald Farrer > [“We took a bowl each and started eating. He went back into the little room, and by the time he returned to the table…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/we-took-a-bowl-each-and-started-eating-he-went-back-into-the-little/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [“I was so happy that my mother, father, and two brothers had somehow found one another. Perhaps my mother and father have gotten back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/i-was-so-happy-that-my-mother-father-and-two-brothers-had-somehow/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [I was one of those children forced into fighting at the age of 13, in my country Sierra Leone, a war that claimed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/i-was-one-of-those-children-forced-into-fighting-at-the-age-of-13-in/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [Wars come and wars go but the world does not change: it will always forget an indebtedness which it thinks it expedient not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/wars-come-and-wars-go-but-the-world-does-not-change-it-will-always/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/i-guess-what-i-d-like-to-say-is-that-people-in-sierra-leone-are-human/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [Religion is a very sensitive subject and reason for wars all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-hadid/religion-is-a-very-sensitive-subject-and-reason-for-wars-all-over-the/) [Yolanda Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-hadid/) > [The places I come from have such rich languages, such a variety of expression. In Sierra Leone we have about fifteen languages and three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/the-places-i-come-from-have-such-rich-languages-such-a-variety-of/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [In early 1993, when I was 12, I was separated from my family as the Sierra Leone civil war, which began two years earlier,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/in-early-1993-when-i-was-12-i-was-separated-from-my-family-as-the/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [“There is already enough wars in this world. Love was not meant to be one of them, Save the ammunition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-solomon/there-is-already-enough-wars-in-this-world-love-was-not-meant-to-be/) Cody Solomon > [“Why are there wars in the world? Why is there this constant international tension? What is the matter with the world? Why war and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-martyn-lloyd-jones/why-are-there-wars-in-the-world-why-is-there-this-constant/) [David Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-martyn-lloyd-jones/) > [You must learn to end the wars in your world by ending them in your minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-marciniak/you-must-learn-to-end-the-wars-in-your-world-by-ending-them-in-your/) [Barbara Marciniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-marciniak/) ## More by Ishmael Beah > [“At night it felt as if we were walking with the moon. It followed us under thick clouds and waited for us at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/at-night-it-felt-as-if-we-were-walking-with-the-moon-it-followed-us/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [“I learned that you are not free until you stop others from making you feel worthless. Because if you do not, you will eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/i-learned-that-you-are-not-free-until-you-stop-others-from-making-you/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [ONE OF THE UNSETTLING THINGS about my journey, mentally, physically, and emotionally, was that I wasn’t sure when or where it was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/one-of-the-unsettling-things-about-my-journey-mentally-physically-and/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [“We walked into the arms of the forest...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/we-walked-into-the-arms-of-the-forest/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [For many observers, a child who has known nothing but war, a child for whom the Kalashnikov is the only way to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/for-many-observers-a-child-who-has-known-nothing-but-war-a-child-for/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [My squad is my family, my gun is my provider, and protector, and my rule is to kill or be killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/my-squad-is-my-family-my-gun-is-my-provider-and-protector-and-my-rule/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [My mother tongue, Mende, is very expressive, very figurative, and when I write, I always struggle to find the English equivalent of things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/my-mother-tongue-mende-is-very-expressive-very-figurative-and-when-i/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [Some people tried to hurt us to protect themselves, their family and communities...This was one of the consequences of civil war. People stopped trusting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/some-people-tried-to-hurt-us-to-protect-themselves-their-family-and/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/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.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/i-grew-up-in-sierra-leone-in-a-small-village-where-as-a-boy-my/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [My childhood had gone by without my knowing, and it seemed as if my heart had frozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/my-childhood-had-gone-by-without-my-knowing-and-it-seemed-as-if-my/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [“Circumstances will change and things will be fine, just hold on a little more”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/circumstances-will-change-and-things-will-be-fine-just-hold-on-a/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [This is one of the consequences of the civil war. People stop trusting each other, and every stranger becomes an enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/this-is-one-of-the-consequences-of-the-civil-war-people-stop-trusting/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [A lot of people, when they say 'forgive and forget,' they think you completely wash your brain out and forget everything. That is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/a-lot-of-people-when-they-say-forgive-and-forget-they-think-you/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [It's exhausting writing nonfiction, particularly when it's personal. It's tiring, always speaking about things that are not necessarily fun retelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/it-s-exhausting-writing-nonfiction-particularly-when-it-s-personal-it/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/i-had-a-very-simple-unremarkable-and-happy-life-and-i-grew-up-in-a/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) [Explore all 65 Ishmael Beah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) ## More Around the world quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-s-difficult-to-believe-in-yourself-because-the-idea-of-self-is-an/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [Once, as an experiment, I travelled around the world with a single suit. Before I left, I went to a tailor in Savile Row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/once-as-an-experiment-i-travelled-around-the-world-with-a-single-suit/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. I see the Middle East with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-look-at-what-s-happening-around-the-world-and-i-see-iran-four-years/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“The low point occurred in July, during Romney’s junior week abroad, in which the press became increasingly frustrated over Romney’s refusal to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-low-point-occurred-in-july-during-romney-s-junior-week-abroad-in/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I believe there definitely are good things about social networking. It's a way for people to connect all around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-believe-there-definitely-are-good-things-about-social-networking-it/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“Isn’t everyone on the planet or at least everyone on the planet called me stuck between the two impulses of wanting to walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/isn-t-everyone-on-the-planet-or-at-least-everyone-on-the-planet/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly test cricket, is playing all around the world against different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/you-always-can-improve-and-i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-international/) [Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/) > [Trump is reviled around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/trump-is-reviled-around-the-world/) [Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/) [Browse all 3,349 Around the world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ishmael Beah" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-unicef-or-elsewhere-to-raise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Around the world" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-unicef-or-elsewhere-to-raise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55f/ishmael-beah-10467_around-the-world_whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-u_3086640.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55f/ishmael-beah-10467_around-the-world_whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-u_3086640.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55f/ishmael-beah-10467_around-the-world_whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-u_3086640.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whenever I speak at the United Nations, UNICEF or elsewhere to raise awareness of the continual and rampant…” — Ishmael Beah", "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": "Ishmael Beah", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whenever I speak at the United...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-unicef-or-elsewhere-to-raise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/whenever-i-speak-at-the-united-nations-unicef-or-elsewhere-to-raise/#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 } } ] } ```