Africa Prize Ceremony 1987 - Remarks by Joan Holmes
On behalf of the 5.2 million individuals in 152 countries who have taken a stand for the end of the persistence of hunger by enrolling themselves in The Hunger Project, I am honored to welcome you to the first annual award ceremony of the Africa Prize for Leadership for the sustainable end of hunger.
I am particularly honored that we have with us this evening the co-recipients of the 1987 Africa prize - His Excellency President Abdou Diouf and Professor Thomas Odhiambo.
As many of you well know, The Hunger Project has had a long standing commitment to Africa. This commitment comes out of our own commitment to the end of the persistence of hunger on our planet by the year 2000.
It also comes out of our experience of Africa -- its people and its leaders -- gained over the decade of The Hunger Project’s existence.
In our work with Africa, we have come to better understand and more fully appreciate the crises and the challenges that Africa faces. At the same time, we have also come to recognize in Africa, a continent of extraordinary capacity, promise and possibility.
The Hunger Project is committed to the creation of a clearing in which the leadership of Africa can show up as committed to the resolution of their own food problems so that the world community can participate authentically with Africa as partners rather than as saviors.
It is in this spirit and as an expression of that commitment that The Hunger Project has established the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger.
By awarding this prize, The Hunger Project intends to celebrate, acknowledge and honor the accomplishments of individuals who have exhibited extraordinary leadership for the end of the persistence of hunger.
As importantly, it is the intention of this prize to not only acknowledge the accomplishments of a single individual, but to pay tribute to that which can be accomplished.
By awarding this prize, The Hunger Project intends to validate the kind of action, the kind thinking and the courage that are creating a new spirit of leadership on the African continent.
The Hunger Project is honored to have as the jury for the Africa Prize for Leadership, individuals of outstanding connitment, wide international experience and expertise. The members of the jury are:
- Her Excellency, Dame Nita Barrow, permanent representative of Barbados to the United Mations and a member of the Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons.
- Dr. Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, widely regarded as the father of the Green Revolution and currently working with African scientists to create Africa’s own Green Revolution.
- Mr. Mark chona, one of Zambia’s foremost business leaders and an individual with a long and distinguished career in government.
- the Right Honorable Edward Heath, former prime minister of the United Kingdom and a member of the Independent Commission on International Development Issue commonly known as the Brandt Commission.
- His Excellency, Idé Oumarou, secretary-general of the Organization of African Unity and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Niger.
- and Dr. Swaninathan, director-general of the International Rice Research Institute and the recent winner of the prestigious General Foods World Food Prize.
The Hunger Project is particularly honored to have as chairman of the jury a man who is known throughout the world for his own leadership, vision, dedication, commitment and accomplishments.
Robert McNamara’s career spans many years at the highest levels in government, in the private sector and in multilateral institutions.
In April 1968, Mr. McNamara became president of the World Bank and served in that capacity for 13 years.
His leadership during that time was so impactful that that time in the history of the Bank became known as “the McNamara years.”
As President of the World Bank, Mr. McNamara initiated and accomplished an unprecedented expansion in the bank’s resources which empowered and enabled the World Bank to become one of the most influential and powerful actors in the field of international development.
Mr. McNamara created a new future for the World Bank when he set as the mandate for the Bank the alleviation of poverty and the fulfillment of basic human needs.
It is no exaggeration to say that McNamara shaped and influenced the thinking, policies and actions, not only of the Bank, but of the entire international development community.
Few people exemplify to such a degree as Robert McNamara, that which this prize stands for -- courageous, audacious, innovative and committed leadership.
It is my privilege to present to you the chairman of the international jury of the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger, Robert S McNamara.