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Having encountered many setbacks, Havel lived with a spirit of hope, which he defined as “the ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.” His peaceful resistance shook the foundations of an empire, exposed the emptiness of a repressive ideology, and proved that moral leadership is more powerful than any weapon. He played a seminal role in the Velvet Revolution that won his people their freedom and inspired generations to reach for self-determination and dignity in all parts of the world.

— Barack Obama

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My view is that this is the beginning, not the end, of what is going to be a journey that takes some time.

We may have occasion in our lifetime to once again rise up in defense of our freedom, and pay the wages of war.

But he understood from hard-earned experience that true security comes through making peace with your neighbors.

The only certainty in war is human suffering, uncertain costs, unintended consequences.

Don’t shortchange the future, because of fear in the present.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Barack Obama (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.