Washington - The death of Nelson Mandela triggered an unprecedented worldwide chorus of awed respect.
Statesmen, resistance leaders, Nobel laureates and prisoners of conscience have died before, but never had one man united such global unity in honoring his passing.
Foreshadowing the guest list of what will surely be the most important funeral of recent decades, world leaders queued up to issue solemn tributes to the 95-year-old anti-apartheid leader.
WHAT THEY SAID
* US President Barack Obama: “He achieved more than could be expected of any man.”
* British PM David Cameron: “A great light has gone out in the world.”
* Archbishop Desmond Tutu: “He was a unifier from the moment he walked out of prison. He taught us how to come together and believe in ourselves.”
* UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon: “He touched our lives in deeply personal ways.”
* Former US President Bill Clinton: “History will remember Nelson Mandela as a champion of human dignity and freedom, for peace and reconciliation.”
* Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan: “A source of inspiration to oppressed peoples all over the world.”
* Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu: “He will be remembered as the father of the new South Africa.”
* Britain's Prince William: “We were just reminded of what an extraordinary and inspiring man Nelson Mandela was.”
* Microsoft founder Bill Gates: “His grace and courage changed the world. This is a sad day.”
* Amnesty International Chief Salil Shetty: “His courage helped change our entire world.” - Sapa-AFP