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1994 - Address by Mr Federico Mayor |
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| Director-General of UNESCO | |
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Your
Majesties, Having just paid tribute to two great departed statesmen, we will now present the 1994 Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize to the two men the international Jury has decided to honour: His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain, and Mr Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States of America, who is represented here today by his son, James Earl Carter III, and his daughter-in-law, Ms Ginger Carter. Your Majesty, as a Spaniard and Director-General of UNESCO, I am doubly delighted to present the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize to such a deserving winner. Your Majesty, since your accession to the throne you have ceaselessly put your personal mark on the course of the events that have made Spain one of the major European democracies. It was a long and sometimes difficult road, but your firm commitment, the courage and foresight you brought to bear, have guided Spain in the direction in which you wished to take it, respecting both its diversity and unity: the diversity that is its wealth, the unity you have done so much to bring about, which is its strength. Today, all of Spain rejoices in the progress that has been made and honours the sovereign to whom she owes it. With the invaluable support of H.M. Queen Sophia, who is with us today, you have made Spain a free, open, enterprising, forward-looking country and provided stability that goes beyond political fluctuations. Restoring democracy in Spain would alone have been sufficient justification for awarding you this prize, Your Majesty, but the Jury also cited your care to preserve and promote the rights of minorities during Spain's transition to democracy. At international level, the Jury unanimously, and I with them, hail the work of reconciliation Spain is doing under your leadership to settle international conflicts and re-establish peace in various parts of the world. The second winner of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize for 1994 is Mr Jimmy Carter, an indefatigable pilgrim of peace wherever his presence can help to settle conflicts. By inviting the two main protagonists of the Israeli-Egyptian conflict to meet at Camp David in 1978, Mr Carter opened the way to settlement of a situation to which there seemed to be no solution at that time. The treaty between Israel and Egypt was the first step towards peace in the Middle East which has since, slowly but surely, spread throughout the region. Whether in the establishment of diplomatic relations with China or the signing of the strategic nuclear arms limitation agreement, Jimmy Carter approached all the problems facing his country as a Head of State determined to give peace a chance. Now at the head of the Carter Center which he founded with his wife Rosalynn in 1982, he leads a disinterested drive to combat poverty, disease and oppression in America and throughout the world. His missions as mediator to a number of countries in conflict have made him an itinerant ambassador of peace. Your
Majesties, On this solemn occasion, the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Prize is awarded to two great peace-makers. It is the ability to avoid and end wars, not to wage and win them, which makes nations strong and gives hope to the world - the hope associated with the names El Salvador, Mozambique, South Africa, Gaza and Jericho. The unseen exercise of the ability to prevent conflict will be the glory of the twenty-first century, when the culture of war will be replaced by the culture of peace, and when all human beings without exception will be in control of their own lives. The United Nations system will have honoured the commitment made in its Charter: "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war". In the name of UNESCO, I congratulate our two eminent prize-winners and wish them every success in their future undertakings. They are among those outstanding individuals who open the way to a better future for humanity. |
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