Paris, May 29 (No.2001-75) - Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, was today chosen as the laureate of the 2000 Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize by an international jury presided by former US Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Henry Kissinger, in recognition of “the great contribution she has made for the defence of human rights.”

Announcing the choice at the close of the jury meeting, Mr Kissinger described the decision as “unanimous and enthusiastic” and gave the floor to jury member Mario Soares, the former President of Portugal who explained:

“Mary Robinson was chosen for the ensemble of her activity. […] She has shown much courage for the cause of human rights and peace. […] She has carried out remarkable work in difficult situations and has travelled the world for the cause of human rights which is essential for peace.”

The time and venue of the ceremony at which the FrF800,000 Prize, peace diploma and medal will be awarded will be determined shortly, after consultation with the laureate.

The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize - created in 1989 and awarded by UNESCO annually - honours people, organisations and institutions which have contributed significantly to the promotion, research, safeguarding or maintaining of peace, mindful of the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitution of UNESCO. The Prize is named after the first president of Côte d’Ivoire, Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

The international jury of the Prize - composed of jurists, elder statesmen and former heads of state and Nobel Peace Prize laureates - last year honoured the Community of Sant’Egidio. In 1998, the Prize was shared between Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Senator George Mitchell, former Special Adviser to US President Clinton for Irish Affairs. Previous winners include: the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and its High Commissioner Sadako Ogata (1995); King Juan Carlos of Spain and former US President Jimmy Carter (1994); Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat (1993); the International Law Academy in The Hague (1992); Nelson Mandela and Frederik W. De Klerk (1991).

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