A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of coloured ribbon.

Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.

Ours has been a quest for a constitution freely adopted by the people of South Africa, reflecting their wishes and their aspirations. The struggle for democracy has never been a matter pursued by one race, class, religious community or gender among South Africans. In honouring those who fought to see this day arrive, we honour the best sons and daughters of all our people.

I accept this award today with an abiding faith in America and an audacious faith in the future of mankind.

Realizing that common sense and common decency alike dictate the futility of appeasement, we shall never try to placate an aggressor by the false and wicked bargain of trading honor for security.

Humility must always be the portion of any man who receives acclaim earned in blood of his followers and sacrifices of his friends.