New York – 22 June 2015
Ladies and Gentleman, greetings to all of you
A year ago, the General Assembly established the United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize.
The Assembly did so to recognize the achievements of those who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity by promoting the purposes and principles of the United Nations while honouring and paying homage to Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition, and social transformation.
The Selection Committee entrusted with the responsibility for selecting the laureates of the United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize for 2015 has completed its work.
After its deliberations on the nominees, the Committee decided on two laureates as the inaugural laureates of the first ever United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize.
The 2015 laureates are:
Dr. Helena Ndume of Namibia and H.E. Mr. Jorge Fernando Branco Sampaio of Portugal.
On behalf of Member States and on my own behalf, I warmly congratulate Dr. Ndume and Mr. Sampaio. We can all be very proud of them. The biographies of these two remarkable laureates have just been posted on my website and will be disseminated through my Spokesperson.
I thank the Selection Committee for its hard work and dedication.
The award ceremony will take place on 24 July 2015 at United Nations Headquarters here in New York. It will be part of the annual commemoration by the General Assembly of Nelson Mandela International Day.
United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize is an honorary award that will be presented once every five years as a tribute to the outstanding achievements and contributions of two individuals, one female and one male.
Thank you.
