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In nearly seven decades spent fighting for freedom and equality, Nelson Mandela inspired and challenged the world to stand up for others. As word of Mandela's death spread, current and former presidents, athletes and entertainers, and people around the world spoke about the life and legacy of the former South African leader

Some knew Mandela personally while many only knew him from afar, but they shared how they drew inspiration from his strength and looked to live his message of continuing the struggle against social injustice and for human rights.From Harlem to Hollywood, Paris to Beijing, people hailed Mandela's indomitable courage in the face of adversity as an inspiration for all. In a testament to his universal appeal, political leaders of various stripes joined critics and activists in paying tribute to Mandela as a heroic force for peace and reconciliation.

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"He no longer belongs to us. He belongs to the ages," said President Barack Obama, who shares with Mandela the distinction of being his nation's first black president.

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Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said the world had lost "a visionary leader, a courageous voice for justice and a clear moral compass." Both Annan and Archbishop Desmond Tutu were part of Mandela's group of statesmen known as The Elders.

"God was so good to us in South Africa by giving us Nelson Mandela to be our president at a crucial moment in our history," Tutu said. "He inspired us to walk the path of forgiveness and reconciliation and so South Africa did not go up in flames."

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President Xi Jinping of China, which supported apartheid's opponents throughout the Cold War, praised Mandela's victory in the anti-apartheid struggle and his contribution to "the cause of human progress."

For Chinese rights activists, Mandela's death served as a reminder that one of their own symbols of freedom, Nobel Peace prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, remained imprisoned by Chinese authorities. "This moment magnifies how evil the current regime is," Beijing activist Hu Jia said.

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" As we remember his triumphs, let us, in his memory, not just reflect on how far we've come, but on how far we have to go," said the U.S. actor Morgan Freeman, who portrayed Mandela in the 2009 film, "Invictus."

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Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, whose efforts to open up his country helped lead to the end of the Cold War, said Mandela "told me several times that our perestroika in the USSR had helped his country a lot to get rid of apartheid."

"He did a lot for humankind, and memory of him will live not only in his country, but across the world," Gorbachev said in comments carried by the Interfax news agency.

In Kiev, where Ukrainians have gathered for anti-government demonstrations around-the-clock for the past week, protesters took a moment to recall Mandela's legacy.

"He had many troubles in his life. He was in prison, but he was waiting and he achieved what he wanted," protester Alena Pivovar said. "We have the same situation now. We have some barriers, but we have to pass them."

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"Nelson Mandela set the standard for all revolutionaries past, present, and future: have a righteous cause, fight with dignity, and win with grace," said actor and E Street band guitarist Steven Van Zandt, who in 1985 recruited performers to record "Sun City," an anti-apartheid album.

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The United Nation's top human rights official, Navi Pillay — a South African who was once a defense lawyer for anti-apartheid activists — said Mandela "was perhaps the greatest moral leader of our time."

Pillay recalled how Mandela's release from prison triggered a "thirst for revenge" among his supporters but that he emphasized forgiveness over vengeance. "He told us to throw our spears and guns into the sea," Pillay said. "He showed us that a better future depended on reconciliation, not revenge."

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In Haiti, a Caribbean nation that became the world's first black republic in 1804 through a successful slave revolt, Mandela symbolized the struggle for black equality.

"Mandela is not only the father of democracy in South Africa, but is also a symbol of democracy," said Haitian President Michel Martelly. "And like any symbol, he is not dead. He is present in all of us and guides us by his lifestyle, his courage and faith in the true struggle for equality."

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The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awarded the 1993 peace prize to Mandela and F.W. de Klerk, called Mandela "one of the greatest names in the long history of the Nobel Peace Prize."

"His work presents a message also today to all those who bear responsibility for apparently unresolvable conflicts: Even the most bitter of conflicts can be solved by peaceful means," the committee said.

Myanmar pro-democracy leader and fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi hailed a "great human being who raised the standard of humanity ... He also made us understand that we can change the world."

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Spiritual leaders joined the homage.

In New Delhi, the Dalai Lama urged believers to "develop determination and ... enthusiasm to carry his spirit."

From the Vatican, Pope Francis paid " tribute to the steadfast commitment shown by Nelson Mandela in promoting the human dignity of all the nation's citizens and in forging a new South Africa built on the firm foundations of non-violence, reconciliation and truth."

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In New York City's Harlem neighborhood, artist Franco Gaskin, 85, stood before a mural featuring Mandela he had painted on a storefront gate almost 20 years ago. He remembered a Mandela visit there in 1990. "It was dynamic, everyone was so electrified to see him in Harlem," Gaskin said. "I idolized him so much. He leaves a legacy that all of us should follow."

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India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh compared Mandela to his country's own icon for the struggle for freedom, independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi.

"A giant among men has passed away. This is as much India's loss as South Africa's. He was a true Gandhian. His life and work will remain a source of eternal inspiration for generations to come."

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Israeli President Shimon Peres said Mandela was a "builder of bridges of peace and dialogue" who changed the course of history, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his moral leadership.

"He was never haughty," Netanyahu said. "He worked to heal rifts within South African society and succeeded in preventing outbreaks of racial hatred."

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At the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky., on display is a photograph of the U.S. boxing great with Mandela, their hands clenched into fists as if they're boxing.

"He made us realize, we are our brother's keeper and that our brothers come in all colors," Ali said. "He was a man whose heart, soul and spirit could not be contained or restrained by racial and economic injustices, metal bars or the burden of hate and revenge."

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Associated Press reporters Svetlana Kozlenko in Kiev, Ukraine, Ian Deitch in Jerusalem, Ashok Sharma in New Delhi, Kristen Gelineau in Sydney, Aye Aye Win in Yangon, Myanmar, Julie Pace in Washington, Jake Pearson in New York, Cassandra Vinograd in London, David Koop in Mexico City, Bruce Schreiner in Lexington, Kentucky, Sara Burnett in Chicago and Andrea Rodriguez in Havana contributed to this report.