Nairobi, Feb. 9, (dpa/GNA) - Former German chancellor Angela Merkel accepted the Peace Prize of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Ivory Coast on Wednesday.
With the award, the organization recognized Merkel’s refugee policy in 2015, when Germany took in more than 1.2 million refugees and other migrants.
In her acceptance speech, Merkel referred to ever new trouble spots in the world and appealed for conflicts to be resolved peacefully.
Dialogue is the weapon of the strong, not of the weak, she said. Merkel dedicated the award to the volunteers who helped welcome refugees at the height of the crisis.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay presented the award to the chancellor at a ceremony in the capital Yamoussoukro.
Azoulay said Merkel had shown courage at a time when others wanted to close off Europe. African Union Chair and President of Senegal Macky Sall called Merkel an exceptional stateswoman and humanitarian.
There was also a special mention for the work of Julienne Lusenge from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She advocates for victims of sexual violence in eastern Congo.
The prize is named after the former head of state of Ivory Coast, Félix Houphouët-Boigny.
The Peace Prize was established in 1989 and has been awarded annually since 1991 to individuals or organizations that have made a special effort to promote, research or secure peace.
The first winners were Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk, who were awarded after the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.
Most recently, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was awarded in 2019 for making peace with neighbouring Eritrea. However, his country was plunged into civil war the following year.
In 2020 and 2021, the prize was not awarded because of the coronavirus pandemic.
GNA