Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general, in accepting the 2001 J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding at the Library on Dec. 3, said Afghanistan has a chance to achieve peace and stability for its people.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (center) was awarded the 2001 Fulbright Prize and sculpture, "Tribute," at the Library. With him are (from left) Patricia de Stacy Harrison, assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs; Lee Hamilton, chairman, 2001 Fulbright Prize Selection Committee; Douglas Daft, chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Co.; Mr. Annan's wife, Nane; and Dr. Billington. - Gail Fineberg
"If all the Afghan parties, as well as their neighbors and the wider international community, give their full support, there is now a real opportunity to create the sort of broad-based, fully representative government which the United Nations has been trying to help the Afghan people achieve for a long, long time," he said.
"A stable Afghanistan, living in peace, protecting the rights of its people, carrying out its international obligations, denying terrorists a safe haven and posing no threat to any of its neighbors and enjoying their respect and support, must be our common objective." He emphasized that a stable Afghanistan can be achieved only if the arrangement for governance reflects the will, needs and interests of the Afghan people. Noting that the United Nations is urgently engaged in helping Afghanistan embark on a new beginning, Mr. Annan said U.N. efforts include, "first and foremost," feeding and sheltering as many of the 7.5 million suffering Afghans as possible as winter sets in. The United Nations also is hosting talks in Bonn, Germany, aimed at producing an agreement for an interim administration that is "acceptable to all Afghans and accountable to all Afghans."
Among the lessons learned from the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, Mr. Annan said, was that "a collapsed and destitute state, such as Afghanistan, provides fertile ground for armed groups to plan and prepare unspeakable acts of terror, at home and abroad."
The answer to such violence and sources of grievance, he said, "is more democracy, not less; more freedom, not less; more development aid, not less; more solidarity with the poor and dispossessed of our world, not less."
In a brief ceremony, Mr. Annan accepted the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding, presented by Charles H. Harff, president of the Fulbright Association, for the secretary-general's work in promoting international cooperation and peace. Mr. Annan is the 2001 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Presenting the Fulbright Prize, a $50,000 award made possible by a grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation, Mr. Harff noted that Mr. Annan was the first U.N. secretary-general to be selected from the ranks of U.N. staff, and, "in unprecedented action," reappointed in June by a unanimous vote of 189 member states. He noted that Mr. Annan has worked for international peace and security; advocated human rights as well as the rule of law; embraced universal values of equality, tolerance and human dignity; focused the world's attention on the need to abate the AIDS epidemic; provided leadership to improve education and investments in developing countries; and "restored public confidence in one of the world's greatest institutions by reaching out impartially."
Dr. Billington welcomed Mr. Annan and guests. Offering remarks, in addition to Mr. Harff, were John D. Negroponte, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; Patricia de Stacy Harrison, assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs; Lee H. Hamilton, chairman of the 2001 Fulbright Prize Selection Committee and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; and Douglas N. Daft, chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Co. Mr. Daft gave Mr. Annan a sculpture, Tribute, on behalf of the company.
A Fulbright scholar himself (University of Helsinki, 1960-61) and chairman of the Fulbright Program's board of foreign scholarships in 1971-73, the Librarian noted connections between Mr. Annan and William Fulbright. In addition to sponsoring the 1946 legislation to create the educational exchange program, Fulbright, when he was a senator, also co-sponsored the resolution that put Congress on record in favor of U.S. membership in the postwar collective security organization that became the United Nations.
"It is appropriate to link both the current leadership of Secretary-General Annan and the memory of Sen. Fulbright, two successful heroes of international cooperation, with a library that is not only the world's largest, but is also the most globally inclusive, with 121 million items in 460 languages," Dr. Billington said.
Ambassador Negroponte said, "Today we are honoring a man who embodies the spirit of the Fulbright Program as well as anyone I have ever known. A scholar himself, who has studied extensively in the United States, Kofi Annan represents the best in diplomacy and the best in international understanding.
"He has led the United Nations forward in efforts to keep the peace, prevent terrorism, support human rights, encourage development and improve the overall efficiency of the U.N. system itself. These, too, are the kinds of qualities and accomplishments Sen. Fulbright had in mind when he created this great program in pursuit of a better world," Mr. Negroponte said.
Ms. Harrison said Mr. Annan was an "inspired choice" for the Fulbright Prize. "Now more than ever since the terrible events of Sept. 11, we need to invest in the leaders of tomorrow who will promote international understanding and follow in the footsteps of Secretary-General Annan."
With 225,000 scholars from the United States and 140 other countries, the Fulbright Program is the centerpiece among the international exchange programs sponsored by the State Department, she said.
Mr. Hamilton, a former congressman who chaired the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, spoke about benefits to the United States of both the Fulbright Program and the United Nations. "International education is the single most effective tool of American foreign policy," he said. "It erodes mistrust, strengthens the bonds of understanding and encourages reconciliation among peoples.
"I recall scores of times when foreign policy challenges were made easier because key actors were beneficiaries of exchange programs that helped them to understand the world and other countries better," Mr. Hamilton said.
By honoring Mr. Annan, he said, "we also recognize the institution he leads. The United Nations is an indispensable institution that deserves strong U.S. political and financial support. If it did not exist, we would desperately need to create it."
The United Nations serves the United States well, he said. "Its broad objectives—to promote peace and security, manage dangerous conflicts, meet transnational challenges, support sustainable development, reduce poverty, care for refugees and foster respect for human rights—match American objectives," Mr. Hamilton said.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Daft said, "Kofi Annan's message is simple, and it is clear: Whatever major resources and influence we possess, we must as human beings use it for the good of the world."
He said that Mr. Annan embodies Sen. Fulbright's belief that understanding brings peace.
