|
Management Board of our organization decided to bestow the Peace Prize "Mostar 2007" on Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei.
Dr. Mohamed Elbaradei, general director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the fourth laureate of the international Peace Prize, bestowed by Mostar Centre for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation. The prize was bestowed on dr ElBaradei by dr Haris Silajdžić, chairman of the BH Presidency and honourable head of Mostar Centre for Peace, in the facilities of the Training Centre in the Old Town of Mostar, in the presence of many guests, activists and friends. Dr Silajdžić pointed out that it was a great honour for him to be among citizens of Mostar on this day and to promote the Centre for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation in this way. "What makes me especially happy – said Silajdžić – is that the international Peace Prize is bestowed on dr ElBaradei, a true advocate of peace, reconciliation and solidarity among people and countries, who also proved to be a true friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina."
Dr Silajdžić reminded that – like today in Mostar, dr Mohamed ElBaradei has sent strong and clear messages in the recent past to BH citizens of all nationalities about the need to keep the multiethnic structure of coexistence in the joint country.
Chairman of BH Presidency especially welcomed the statement of dr ElBaradei "that BH is a model for the whole world, the model for how the whole world should look like, with opportunities for all people, regardless of their origin, language or colour of skin, to live in peace in the globalized world of today, where one can live only if humanism is shared".
Explaining the motives for bestowing the international Peace Prize ("Peace Connection for 2007") on dr Mohamed ElBaradei, respectable international diplomat who was awarded Nobel Peace Prize – director of the Centre for Peace, Safet Oručević said that the management board of the Centre for Peace wanted to reward dr ElBaradei for his enormous life engagement on establishment of peace and international cooperation, with the aim of overcoming the crises and conflicts all over the world.
"As the general director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, dr Mohamed ElBaradei gave crucial contribution to affirmation of the idea of dialogue and use of nuclear energy in pacific and not war purposes" – said Safet Oručević. He reminded that the Peace Prize was established in 2004, when the Old Bridge was restored. That was the initiative from many state and international institutions, non-government organizations and prominent individuals – said Oručević, reminding that this international prize was bestowed on the ex-Czech president, Vatzlav Havel, then on Alois Mock and last year on Nelson Mandela.
In his speech, dr Mohamed ElBaradei expressed his gratefulness to Mostar Centre for Peace, saying that he receives the Prize with gratitude and obligation.
"Prize from the Centre for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation" is a great honour for me. BH is a model for how the future world should look like, ensuring equal opportunities for all people, regardless of their origin or affiliation, to live in peace. In this globalized world of today, we can survive only by sharing our humanism. We have a lot in common and that is what we should continue talking about, instead about the things that keep us apart. This prize is a confirmation of what we do and it is a great honour for me to be one of the laureates of this prize", said, among other things, dr Mohamed ElBaradei and pointed out the following:
"What always surprises me is the fact that despite the major technological advancement and all fine arts, we, as human beings are still ready to kill each other. We have to finish with this. We have to stop that cyclic wave of destruction. Working with atomic energy, I believe we can't afford ourselves another war, because that might be the beginning of the end of our whole civilization", said Mohamed El Baradei, receiving the Peace Prize. He pointed out that it is not enough only to talk about peace, but also to work on establishment of peace. He added that every person should be given the chance to live in a society based on the science and democracy. Society acknowledging values of tolerance and solidarity. Society that is not based on pointing out artificial differences, colour, ethnical affiliation and divisions, but the one pointing out our main values implied in all of us, as human beings, said ElBaradei.
 |
|
|
Before the ceremony of Prize awarding, Mohamed ElBaradei, together with the chairman of the BH Presidency, Haris Silajdžić and director of the Centre for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation, Safet Oručević, visited the club of divers "Mostari", and from the tower "Čardak" watched the diving, that was spontaneously done by the members of this club.
The following is the text of the letter of thanks from Mohamed ElBaradei to the Centre for Peace Mostar:
|
