Chissano wins EU’s North-South Prize for his contribution to peace, democracy in Africa

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Chissano wins EU’s North-South Prize for his contribution to peace, democracy in Africa

11:41 CAT | 24 Jun 2016

Lusa

Former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano and Greek refugee activist Lora Pappa have won the Council of Europe 2105 North-South prize.

The prize is awarded annually to two personalities, one from the northern and one from the southern hemisphere, who have “stood out internationally for [their] action in defence of human rights and democracy, contributing to a more interdependent and united world”, the Council of Europe’s Lisbon-based North-South Centre explains.

The honours will be bestowed by the president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on 30 June, at a ceremony in the Lisbon parliament.

The North-South Centre writes that Joaquim Chissano, president of Mozambique from 1986 to 2005, “is recognized for his contribution to strengthening democracy in Africa and his involvement in the search for peaceful resolution of conflicts in different parts of the continent, particularly in his capacity as special envoy of the United Nations”.

Chissano, the centre explains, is the face of “a set of socio-economic changes that have transformed Mozambique and is responsible for the first constitution of the country, dated 1990”, and sits on the advisory boards of several international organizations, including the United Nations.

Lora Pappa, founder of the Greek non-governmental organization METAdrasi, is recognized for her “work in supporting and representing migrants and refugees, particularly the most vulnerable groups such as children and unaccompanied minors”.

The NGO, created in 2010, aims to fill gaps in the management of migration movements in Greece, particularly in solving communication problems. METAdrasi has facilitated more than 200,000 individual interpretation sessions and avoided about three thousand migrant children being taken to detention centres, placing them instead in a network of families or more suitable reception centres.

The award, now in its 21st year, has previously been awarded to former secretary-general of the UN and Nobel Peace Prize, Kofi Annan, former Portuguese presidents Mário Soares and Jorge Sampaio, former president of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal Antonio Almeida Santos, former president of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Irish singer Bob Geldoff, Queen Rania of Jordan, French politician Simone Weil, first woman president of Ireland Mary Robinson, Mozambican Graca Machel, Tunisian journalist Souhayr Belhassen and His Highness the Aga Khan.

Created in 1989, the North-South Centre aims to establish dialogue platforms on interdependence and solidarity with regions outside of Europe, in the context of the Council of Europe’s “neighbourhood policy”. It currently has 17 members: Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Croatia, Cyprus, Spain, Greece, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, San Marino, Vatican and Serbia.

Founded on 5 May 1949, the Council of Europe is the oldest European institution in operation and encompasses 47 states, including all the countries of the European Union.

Source: Lusa