Self -Test (Integrating Activity)

10 Famous Leaders in the World

1. Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln became famous for his speech, Gettysburg Address, and his leadership

while he was still the president of the United States. One of his greatest contribution that

made a huge impact was issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. The declaration of the

Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves within the Confederacy in 1863. He made sure

that slavery will be abolished in his country by enacting measures. Some of his contribution

were the Homestead Act, wherein he allows the poor people in the East to obtain land in the

West, signed a tariff legislation in order to protect the American Industry. He played a vital

role in fighting to preserve the Union. Abraham Lincoln was considered to be one of the

greatest leader since he has a strong belief in his principles and integrity. He is also

considered to be as one of the famous leaders due to his leadership style. Quotes from his

speech were still used as it made a great impact in the society. Lincoln also showed how

great he is to be a leader through his crisis management, political skill, character, and

integrity.

2. Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, a political and spiritual leader of India. He was known for his fight

Indian nationalism against the British rule on 1920. He is a transformational leader which

means that Gandhi led his followers by being an example. Mahatma Gandhi is famous for

his pacifism, peaceful protest and simple living. He is an anti-war activist with a global legacy

through a non-violent civil disobedience. Gandhi fought for Indian rights for 9 years and for

Indian liberation. After years of years of struggles, he finally paved the way for Britain

withdrawal through his “Quit India” movement in 1942. His contributions were non-violence

or Ahisma, environmental sustainability, believed that no religion had a monopoly rule on the

truth, women empowerment, and strengthening India. Through his ideas and movements, he
changed the world to achieve independence, freedom, and equality. Mahatma Gandhi is

considered to be a famous leader because of his advocacy for non-violence. In order to be a

great leader, Gandhi influenced his people and the whole world by unification of the country,

awakening the masses and bringing the politics for the common people and brought faith to

the greater good. “Gandhi’s public image as the social reformer, politician, preacher, lawyer,

and a freedom fighter who waged a long war to end colonialism, and sought to end the

longstanding Hindu- Muslim divide and caste-based discrimination in the country.”, (India,

2018).

3. Jack Ma

Jack Ma is known to be the owner of Alibaba Group, a popular conglomerate of internet

based businesses. He was listed among the “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” on the year

2017. His important contributions were he gave job opportunities to people and also inspired

the masses through his achievements. As a leader, he made sure to value attitude, unites

people under a single goal, has foresight, hires people with superior skills, tenacious, loves

life and does not make enemies. According to him, giving is up a failure.

4.Malala Yousafzai

At a young age, Malala Yousafzai he fought for her right as a woman and their right for

education. She is an education activist in Pakistan and won the youngest-ever Nobel Prize

Laureate. Yousafzai started an organization called as Malala Fund to support people that

cannot attain education. Her greatest contribution was her speech to the first ever Youth

Takeover. Through her speech, she made the world aware for an equal right for the boys

and girls. “So here I stand one girl among many. I speak – not for myself, but for all girls and

boys. I raise up my voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be

heard. Those who have fought for their rights: Their right to live in peace, their right to be

treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, and their right to be educated”,

Yousafzai, 2013. Malala Yousafzai is considered as one of the famous leaders due to the
fact that she made sure that children will have the right to learn and have their equal rights

attained.

5.Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister and a social activist who led the civil rights

movement in the United States. King was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1964. His greatest

contributions were the civil rights movement which ends the legal segregation of African

Americans in the south and to other parts of the United States, and established the Southern

Christian Leadership Conference which is an organization to give African Americans the full

equality to life. Martin Luther King Jr. has set a standard for all nations to treat everyone

equally regardless of their race and colour and made sure that it is no longer legal in the

United States to segregate and/or discriminated based on their skin colour. Just like

Mahatma Gandhi, he aimed for a nonviolent peaceful demonstration. He also led a

nonviolent boycott for the Montgomery bus boycott incident when an African American

passenger refused to give up her seat to a white woman. In addition to that, the historic

March on Washington happened to demand equal justice for all citizens under the law. This

is where he delivered his speech “I have a dream”. While he was in his final years, he

focused on economic justice, speaking out against poverty and war. Martin Luther King Jr. is

considered to be one of the famous leaders due to the fact that he has been an effective

leader to his fellowmen. He fought for equality until his last years and made sure that

everyone can have it.

6.Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was the first black president who served South Africa from 1994-1999.

According to livescience.com, he received 250 honours including his Nobel Prize in 1993.

Mandela was an anti-apartheid revolutionary and led the Africans to fight against

segregation and apartheid. His contributions were African National Congress Youth League,

established the first black law firm in South Africa, refused a pardon due to continued
injustice, Nelson Mandela Foundation, delivered a speech for the fight against AIDS/HIV,

and set a Committee for truth and reconciliation. Forming the African National Congress

Youth Leagued led him to be put in prison, but that did not stop him to be a great leader for

his country. His refuse for pardon due to continued injustice, establishing the first black law

firm and the African National Congress Youth Leagued meant that he aims for a long journey

of freedom not only for his country but also for the world. The Nelson Mandela Foundation

“aims to use the history, experience, values, vision and leadership of its Founder to provide

a non-partisan platform for public discourse on important social issues, and in doing so, to

contribute to policy decision-making.” Mandela made the world to be socially aware on what

is happening in South Africa on the mid 1980’s as he made the people aware of the suffering

of the South Africans by the apartheid rule. “Mandela’s message was one of peace, justice

and freedom, an inclusive campaign that all people could support. He set the precedent for

messaging and rallying for future activists to come”, red.org. Nelson Mandela is considered

to be as one of the famous leaders of the world due to his care not only for his country but as

well as for the whole world. To be an effective leader, one must show a sense of mission

and a good judgement for it to be beneficial for its members and/or community. He sacrificed

for hi country and fought for what is right to be able to achieve freedom and attain humanity.

Mandela showed these characteristics that is why I have considered him as part of the

famous leaders with great contributions.

7. Mother Teresa (St Teresa of Calcutta)

Mother Teresa is known for her humanitarian work. Her contributions were missionaries

of charity, provided home for the dying, gave awareness for leprosy disease and HIV/AIDS,

and built an orphanage. Mother Teresa created the Missionaries of Charity due to the fact

that there are a lot of people in need. Mother Teresa together with the nuns served and

helped those that feel unwanted, unloved, uncared and burdened by the society. The home

for the dying was opened for the poor regardless of their religion. She also built Shatni Nagar

which was a hospice for leprosy patients and also created homes for the HIV/AIDS patients
called Gift of Love. Together with this, she also built an orphanage called Nirmal Shishu

Bhavan which was for the children who are lost and homeless. Mother Teresa risked her life

and the other nuns to help and give care to those that in need. She is considered as one of

the famous leaders as she is the most loved women of the world. She helped the masses

and she is loved because of what she did in the world. Mother Teresa proved that women

can also do things that a man can do and all she wanted to attain for the world was peace.

8. Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill was popularly known for his leadership during the World War II. He

fought with the Nazis which became the inspiration for his country because of his refusal to

surrender. Even though he experienced mental health issues, he still continued to be a

leader and served his fellowmen. His important contributions were he was responsible for

the first minimum wage in Britain which led for the unemployed to be employed, he

supported the People’s Budget and established Liberal Welfare Reforms that aims to provide

children with free school meals, gave pension to farmers and allowed them to farm their

holdings without the destruction of the landlords, legalized National Insurance Act of 1911

which gave a compulsory health insurance for workers, united and inspired the Britain,

formed an alliance with Soviet Union and the United States. “Churchill was known for his

fearlessness, determination, unyielding perseverance and undying devotion to his goal.”

Winston Churchill is considered to be one of the famous leaders because of his effective

leadership which led for a safer and better country.

9.Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is famously known as a billionaire philanthropist and an actress. Her

greatest contributions were to eradicate child abuse as she also experienced domestic

abuse, a committed philanthropist providing assistance to schools, gives funds to battered

women’s shelters and helps catch child abusers. Oprah Winfrey donated to schools in

support for scholarship and also built a school in South Africa for the less fortunate. In
addition to that, she also opened a foundation called the Oprah Winfrey Foundation which

aims to help people in need. She is considered to be one of the famous leaders due to her

advocacies and her willingness to help the masses.

10. Bill Gates

Bill Gates brought people close to technology. He is the founder of Microsoft and uses a

user-friendly programs and systems. Bill Gates build a foundation called Bill and Melinda

Foundation plans to invest in public education. According to him, it is one of the biggest

issues in public education is inequality. He also invested for a clean energy called

breakthrough Energy ventures together with the other billionaires. This is to help humans to

adapt to climate change and develop new technologies to prevent the problem form getting

worse. Gates promotes global health initiatives around the world and fights poverty and

other diseases. What makes him a great and famous leader is that even though he is

already a business tycoon, he did not forget to help not only for the community but for the

world as well.

I considered them as famous leaders since they have showed qualities or characteristics

that an effective leader should have. They have influenced not only their people but as well

as the whole world to fight for what is right. Even though they have different leadership skills,

the only thing that should be significant is that the result should be for the betterment of the

masses and the whole world. Each leader is successful in his or her own way. A leader must

have confidence to lead so that his members will also have the confidence to follow.
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%20millions%20promoting%20global,eradicate%20AIDS%2C%20tuberculosis%20and

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https://www.resourcefulmanager.com/guides/successful-leaders/