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Ref. DC 122(2016) Council of Europe North-South Prize 2015 to Lora Pappa and Joaquim Alberto Chissano Strasbourg. 29.06.2016 - The founder of the Greek Non-Governmental Organization METAdrasi (Action for Migration & Development), Lora Pappa and former President of Mozambique Joaquim Alberto Chissano are the two laureates of the Council of Europe North-South Prize 2015, a distinction awarded annually to two personalities, who stood out internationally for their role in defending Human Rights and Democracy and for promoting dialogue, global interdependence and solidarity. The award ceremony will take place in the Senate room of the Portuguese Parliament on 30 June (11.00 a.m.), with the presence of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, the Parliament’s President, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, the Chairperson of the Portuguese delegation to PACE, Ana Catarina Mendes and the Chair of the North-South Centre Executive Committee, Jean-Marie Heydt. In the framework of the visit to Portugal, the Deputy Secretary General will have meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva; the Minister of Culture, Luis Castro Mendes; the Secretary of State of European Affairs, Margarida Marques and the Mayor of Lisbon, Fernando Medina. The Laureates Lora Pappa is actively engaged in several actions to address the needs of vulnerable groups, such as unaccompanied children. She has based her work on the highest standards of professionalism and ethics, developing specialist training methods in the area of refugee protection and migration management. METAdrasi provides qualitative interpretation in the context of asylum procedures, filling a major gap which had existed for over twenty years in Greece. Joaquim Alberto Chissano has campaigned for peace on the African continent as an envoy and negotiator for United Nations. He received the Chatham House award in 2006 and the inaugural Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership in 2007. He is a founding member of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and he played a fundamental role in 1974 negotiations for independence of Mozambique, between FRELIMO and the Portuguese Government. Background In the past, the Council of Europe North-South Prize has been given to personalities as diverse as Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, Kofi Annan, Rula Dashti, Bob Geldof, Simone Veil, Mário Soares, Peter Gabriel, Stéphane Hessel, Graça Machel, Emma Bonino, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Mary Robinson, Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, Louise Arbour, His Highness the Aga Khan and Jorge Sampaio. Created in November 1989, the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (more commonly known as the "North-South Centre"), was set up in Lisbon in May 1990. It provides a framework for European co-operation designed to heighten public awareness of global interdependence issues, and to promote policies of solidarity complying with the Council of Europe’s aims and principles. The Centre strives to promote gender empowerment, youth participation and democratic consolidation through intercultural dialogue in co-operation with civil society, local authorities, governments and parliaments. Contact : Giuseppe Zaffuto, Spokesperson/Press officer, Tel. +33 6 86 32 10 24 |
