--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot overemphasise the value we place…" description: "\"I cannot overemphasise the value we place on a free, independent and outspoken press\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/nelson-mandela-248_independent_i-cannot-overemphasise-the-value-we-plac_2468599.jpg" --- # I cannot overemphasise the value we place on a free… ![“I cannot overemphasise the value we place on a free, independent and outspoken press” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/nelson-mandela-248_independent_i-cannot-overemphasise-the-value-we-plac_2468599.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/nelson-mandela-248_independent_i-cannot-overemphasise-the-value-we-plac_2468599.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/nelson-mandela-248_independent_i-cannot-overemphasise-the-value-we-plac_2468599.jpg) > “I cannot overemphasise the value we place on a free, independent and outspoken press” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He stresses the crucial role of an independent press in a healthy democracy. **In simple terms:** Free press is vital for democracy. Key Takeaway Protect press independence. Themes politics freedom media Mood urgent serious Type political inspirational When to use this quote - journalism - policy making - public education - activism Key Concepts democratic health accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can societies safeguard press freedom? - What responsibilities do journalists hold? A Different Perspective Press can be influenced by power. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Outspoken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outspoken/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been attracted to independent, outspoken women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-howard/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-independent-outspoken-women/) [Ken Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-howard/) > [I've never been a fan of pretense or procrastination. After all, our state is defined by its independent, outspoken spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/i-ve-never-been-a-fan-of-pretense-or-procrastination-after-all-our/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [I prefer to work for my country in a free and independent way. I was born free, and I want to die free. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/i-prefer-to-work-for-my-country-in-a-free-and-independent-way-i-was/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [Man will be what he was born to be: free and independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/man-will-be-what-he-was-born-to-be-free-and-independent/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Being alone makes me feel free and more independent. Responsibility is all I own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlynluzon/being-alone-makes-me-feel-free-and-more-independent-responsibility-is/) Merlynluzon > [The free, independent spirit who commits himself to no dogma and will not decide in favor of any party has no homestead on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-free-independent-spirit-who-commits-himself-to-no-dogma-and-will/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Without free, self-respecting, and autonomous citizens there can be no free and independent nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/without-free-self-respecting-and-autonomous-citizens-there-can-be-no-2/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [I am not free and independent; I am a traveler with duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-nursi/i-am-not-free-and-independent-i-am-a-traveler-with-duties/) [Said Nursi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-nursi/) > [We can be a free and independent country and will prosper if given a proper chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/we-can-be-a-free-and-independent-country-and-will-prosper-if-given-a/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) > [I believe that every people and every nation has the right to be free and independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/i-believe-that-every-people-and-every-nation-has-the-right-to-be-free/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [A free and independent Britain is a blessing to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/a-free-and-independent-britain-is-a-blessing-to-the-world/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [May God permit us both to return to a free and independent Poland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladyslaw-anders/may-god-permit-us-both-to-return-to-a-free-and-independent-poland/) Wladyslaw Anders > [The welfare state creates its own victim/client constituency. By making individuals free and independent, we reduce the need for 'charity' to those truly needy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/the-welfare-state-creates-its-own-victim-client-constituency-by/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [We are a free and independent country and will prosper if given a proper chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/we-are-a-free-and-independent-country-and-will-prosper-if-given-a/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) > [All men are by nature born equally free and independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/all-men-are-by-nature-born-equally-free-and-independent/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. 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If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Independent quotes > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. 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