Kofi Atta Annan · "To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what y..."

Commencement address at Carnegie Mellon University, 2003 · Checked on 3 March 2026

To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.

Analysis

The official transcript of Kofi Annan’s commencement speech at Carnegie Mellon University on May 16, 2003 contains the exact wording: “To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.” Multiple reputable news outlets quoted the same passage when reporting on the ceremony, confirming the attribution.

Background

Kofi Annan, then Secretary‑General of the United Nations, was invited to speak at Carnegie Mellon’s 2003 commencement ceremony. In his address, he emphasized personal responsibility, self‑knowledge, and purposeful decision‑making for the graduating class. The speech was widely reported and archived by the university and the UN.

Verdict summary

Kofi Annan did say the quoted passage in his 2003 Carnegie Mellon University commencement address.

Sources consulted

— Carnegie Mellon University – Commencement 2003 Speech Transcript (cmu.edu)

— United Nations – Archive of Kofi Annan Speeches (un.org)

— The Pittsburgh Post‑Gazette, May 17, 2003, “Annan urges graduates to choose wisely”