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UN unveils the Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize winners

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The two winners of the United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize which honours outstanding service to humanity, have been unveiled by the President of the General Assembly in New York. The prize was established by the GA in 2014 and is awarded every five years as a tribute to the outstanding contributions of two individuals; one male and one female.

2020’s laureates are from Greece and Guinea. They both embody the example of Madiba; a bedrock principle of the Prize as explained by the General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande who was also the Chairperson of the Selection Committee.

“The selections were made very, very deliberately and the consideration was then to look at people who gave high quality service in line with the ideals for which Mandela lived and died; whether they were highly placed persons like politicians or presidents or not so highly placed but who did extremely important. In the selection, the main object was to guarantee that there was nothing in the life of those who were to be selected that went contrary to the ideals of the late Mandela.”

Laureate Marianna V. Vardinoyannis from Greece established a foundation in her own name that promotes social awareness and mobilisation on human rights, children’s rights and education among others and has been a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 1999.

Her fellow Laureate Dr Morissanda Kouyate from Guinea is the Executive Director of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children that works to eliminate harmful practices in Africa and worldwide.

“In the selection also there was clear comradery and give and take to deepen discussion as to the quality of each candidate. This took far longer than it would appear to and I am proud it took that back and forth to say, ‘okay, are we right in thinking this and thinking that?’ So, at the end of the day, that is how each of the candidates; one male and one female emerged,” said Muhammad-Bande.

The announcement coming just a day ahead of Mandela International Day and the annual lecture to be presented by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres under the theme, “Tackling the Inequality Pandemic: A New Social Contract for a New Era.”

President Muhammad-Bande weighed in how the challenges that COVID-19 has presented.

“COVID-19 brings to the fore the question of inequality very clearly in all countries. And even in spaces where you would have thought healthcare was affordable or should be universal, there are problems … perhaps they even suffered the worst. And it is also important not to forget the movement – the Black Lives Matter movement – it is a movement that is unfolding before our very eyes. (It) brings to the fore clearly the question of COVID-19 and post COVID-19, the whole question of inequality and social justice.”

On whether the PGA believes the UN in its current form was fit to meet this moment in history, he gave the following explanation.

“The UN was created precisely to deal with situations as dire as this one, where there is really no strong or weak. everyone has suffered from this pandemic and therefore, the UN is providing space, not only for the big, but for reasoned action. It’s certainly better fit than any organisation or country or body to address this and it’s doing so.”

Mandela is described as an extraordinary global advocate for dignity and equality; unfinished business the UN seeks to realize despite the headwinds and obstacles in its path.

In the video below, the UN names the Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize winners. 

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