"
In a world where there are fortunately fewer international conflicts,
the Jury took into consideration the fact that national conflicts of
political, ethnic, religious or cultural origin predominate due to the
difficulty in ensuring the peaceful coexistence of minorities within
single States.
In
awarding the 1998 Prize to a woman, Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of the
People's Republic of Bangladesh who, on 2 December 1997,
signed a peace agreement which put an end to 25 years of civil war with
armed groups fighting the government, and to Senator George J. Mitchell
whose work enabled the main players in the Irish crisis to sign the Good
Friday Agreement (the Stormont Agreement, 10 April 1998), the
Jury has wanted to focus attention on the efforts deployed in the search
for peace through dialogue and negotiation.
Moreover,
the Jury expresses the hope that the results achieved by the
prizewinners will set an example to be followed by others."
Statement
made by Dr Henry A. Kissinger, announcing the prizewinners on 1st
of April 1999.
The official
ceremony for the award of the Prize was held
on 24 September 1999
at UNESCO Headquaters in Paris
Addresses
ALIOUNE
TRAORÉ
Executive Secretary of the Prize
FEDERICO
MAYOR
Director-General of UNESCO
GUESTS
ON THE PODIUM
HENRY
A. KISSINGER
President of the Jury
Senator
GEORGE J. MITCHELL
Former Special Advisor to the President of the
United States of America for Irish Affairs
"
When the Agreement was reached, at about six o'oclock on the evening of
Good Friday, we had been in negociations for nearly two years and
continuously for nearly two days and nights. "
SHEIKH
HASINA
Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
"He
surrendered his arms to me, so did his men. I gave a bouquet of flowers,
of whites roses, in return. That was an unforgettable moment."
Personalities |
