"
We
have come to the conclusion that among the many problems concerning
peace in the world today, perhaps the most distinctive are the ethnic
conflicts and the refugee problems that they have generated; and we have
therefore agreed unanimously to give a dual prize to the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for the work that it is
doing and secondly to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
Ms Ogata, for the distinctive quality she has added to the mission
that has been assigned to her, for the excellence of her efforts and for
the way she has raised international concern for the refugees. "
Statement
made by Dr Henry A. Kissinger, President of the Jury,
annoucing the prizewinners on 18 January 1996.
The
official ceremony for the award of the Prize was held
on 5 June 1996 at
UNESCO Headquarters in Paris
Addresses
ALIOUNE
TRAORÉ
Executive Secretary of the Prize
FEDERICO
MAYOR
Director-General of UNESCO
GUESTS
ON THE PODIUM
JEAN
FOYER
Vice-President of the Jury
SADAKO
OGATA
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
"More
than once during my travels I have seen the dire distress in the eyes of
those who have lost everything and face an uncertain future. The world
of peace to whose construction President Houphouët-Boigny
dedicated his efforts can no longer tolerate this anguish, created by
the action of human beings. I am confident that together we shall
succeed in bringing back a smile of hope to the face of a child
traumatized by fear and exile, and that, thanks to our efforts, that
child will be able to live and grow up in a somewhat more friendly
world."
Personalities |
