PARIS / PEACE PRIZE

French President François  Hollande received UNESCO’s peace prize for action in Africa for taking action in January to end the control of insurgents in Northern Mali and bring peace and stability to the region. UNESCO

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:24
• Production Date: 6 June 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION - UNESCO
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: MALI; WEST AFRICA; FRANCE
• MAMS Id: U130606d

Description

STORY: PARIS / PEACE PRIZE
TRT: 1.24
SOURCE: UNESCO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 25 APRIL 2013, PARIS, FRANCE

Shotlist

1. Med shot, France's President Francois Hollande arrival at UNESCO Headquarters
2. Med shot, Hollande and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova walk into the building
3. Various shots, Hollande signing guest book
4. Various shots, Hollande, Bokova and African leaders posing for photographers
5. Wide shot, stage
6. Various shots, Hollande receiving awards
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Francois Hollande, President of France:
“History will remember, dear Dioncounda Traoré, that it was you, who by your courageous act of appealing to France, have allowed the survival of your country and the stability of West Africa.”
8. Wide shot, stage
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Francois Hollande, President of France:
“It is not France that has liberated Mali; these are Africans who have freed themselves of terrorism and bondage.”
10. Pan right, Hollande leaves the stage”

Storyline

French President François Hollande was on Wednesday (5 June) awarded UNESCO’s peace prize for action in Africa.

President Hollande received the award at UNESCO headquarters in Paris for taking action in January to end the control of insurgents in Northern Mali and bring peace and stability to the region.

Several presidents of West Africa and countries of the Sahel region attended the ceremony: Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin; Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso; Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire; Dioncounda Traoré of Mali; Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania; Idriss Déby Itno of Chad; and Macky Sall of Senegal. Niger was represented by its Prime Minister, Brigi Rafini.

President Hollande was presented with a peace diploma, a gold medal, and $150,000. He will donate the money to two charities – one to support women in Africa and one to assist war veterans. In his acceptance speech, he underscored the urgency of the French intervention in Mali.

In his acceptance speech, the French President said “history will remember” Malian President Dioncounda Traoré, for his “courageous act” of asking France for help, which “allowed the survival of your country and the stability of West Africa.”

Hollande said it was not France that has liberated Mali, but instead “these are Africans who have freed themselves of terrorism and bondage.”

Created by UNESCO in 1989, the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize honours individuals and organisations that have made a significant contribution to peace and stability around the world.

President Hollande joins a list of illustrious past laureates that includes Nelson Mandela, Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Yasser Arafat and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.