UNHCR chief presents Nansen Refugee Award to Congolese Nun
Geneva, 01 October 2013: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres
on Monday night presented the annual UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award to an inspiring Congolese
nun in recognition of her work helping hundreds of displaced and abused women to rebuild
their lives.
"This prize, this medal, is not only for me – it is also for all
the women, the girls and the children who have been abducted by the LRA [Lord's Resistance
Army rebel group from Uganda]," Sister Angélique Namaika said after receiving the
Nansen Medal from Guterres at a ceremony in Geneva's Bâtiment des Forces Motrices.
"I
will never give up, because even if I help only one person it's already a success,"
added the 46-year-old Roman Catholic nun from Orientale province in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC) at a ceremony attended by several hundred people, including
delegates attending UNHCR's annual Executive Committee meeting,
Guterres said
that he had heard and seen many bad things during his visits to refugees and other
forcibly displaced people in Africa. "And it is when you look at Sister Angélique
that all of a sudden your perspective also changes," he said. "And you believe that
God has a hand. She is the hand of God."
Named after celebrated Norwegian
polar explorer, diplomat, scientist and humanitarian, Fridtjof Nansen, the Nansen
Refugee Award was established in 1954 to honour a person, group or organization for
their outstanding work on behalf of the forcibly displaced.
Sister Angélique
is the latest in a line of illustrious winners, recognized for her role in helping
to transform the lives of more than 2,000 women and girls who have been forced from
their homes and abused by the LRA or other armed groups in the Dungu region of the
DRC's Orientale province. Since being named this year's Nansen Refugee Award winner
on September 17, Sister Angélique has received accolades and congratulations from
people around the world. Earlier on Monday, UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie sent
a message of warm congratulations and said Sister Angélique's work could "help to
draw attention to the devastating effects of rape and sexual violence and the need
for justice and help for survivors.""
Best-selling Brazilian author Paulo
Coelho, in a keynote speech at Monday's Geneva event, also praised the Nansen laureate,
describing her as a lesson in compassion. The Award ceremony featured musical performances
by British singer-songwriter Dido, Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna and Grammy-nominated
Malian musicians, Amadou and Mariam. "It was brilliant to meet Sister Angélique and
inspiring to perform for her," said Dido after singing. Following the ceremony,
Sister Angélique will travel to Rome, where she will be received at the Vatican by
Pope Francis on 2 October before proceeding to Paris, Brussels and Oslo for other
meetings. The award consists of a commemorative medal and a US$100,000 monetary prize
donated by the governments of Norway and Switzerland to support a project of the laureate's
choice. Source: UNHCR