nobel lecture-nobel booklet

7/29/2019 NOBEL LECTURE-Nobel Booklet

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Editors Note:

This booklet is a compilation of short essays on

selected Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. The studentsinvolved with this project are all part of Dr. Mar Peter-

Raouls class, Praxis I-II. We hope with the creation of

this booklet, that we inspire more people to act as

these individuals to promote positive change, peace,

and well-being in the world. As you may see, each

entry retains its own style. I unified the format for

each entry, but the content is strictly that of the

individual student. I hope you enjoy our entries and

become inspired to take action for peace and justice.

-Mike Napolitano, April 2009

One must think like a hero to behave like a merely

decent human being. May Sarton

The heroes of all time have gone before uswhere

we had thought to travel outwards we shall come to

the center of our own existence. And where we had

thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.

-Joseph Campbell


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Table of Contents

Adolfo Prez Esquivel By Sam Tobia

Al Gore By Kasey Nagle

The 14th Dalai Lama By Joe Cricchio

Archbishop Desmond Tutu By Mike Napolitano

Elie Wiesel By Nicole Colomban

Elie Wiesel By Lauren Utter

Jimmy Carter By Carola Madrid

Mdecins Sans Frontires By Alanna Henneberry

Mother Teresa By Briana Timlin

Oscar Arias Sanchez By Emily Fiore

Aung San Suu Kyi By Colleen Ryan

Wangari Maathai By Anthony Antonecchia

Faculty: Dr. Mar Peter-Raoul

Editor: Mike Napolitano

Cover Collage: Lauren Utter


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Adolfo Prez Esquivel, by Sam Tobia

Adolfo Prez Esquivel has dedicated his life to bringing change, peace, and justice

throughout Latin America. Born on 26 November 1931 in Buenos Aires, Esquivel was raised by

his Catholic father and Gaurani Indian grandmother. He witnessed many military coups or

governmental overthrows between 1931 and 1973. In 1976, a military dictatorship carried out its

Dirty War campaign in Argentina, based on repression, censorship, torture, and murder.

Teachers, artists, writers, activists, and journalists were some of the main targets of this brutal

crackdown on democratic rights (Global Call to Action). Family members, children, and friends

began to disappear as arrests were made in the middle of the night. The government sold

children into adoption, tortured, and often killed their parents and other prisoners. Later it was

discovered that some of the disappeared were thrown out of airplanes over the ocean (Global

Call to Action).

Before the Dirty War began, Esquivel attended a conference in Montevideo, Uruguay in

1968, where the blueprints were developed for a non-violent organization that would seek to

bring change to Latin America. This Christian based organization, Servicio Paz y Justicia(SERPAJ or Peace and Justice Service), sought to uphold human rights, specifically social and

economic rights. Esquivel gave up his profession as a professor of sculpture and architecture in

1974 in order to focus his attention on instigating social change. In 1976, he was appointed

Secretary-General of SERPAJ. His first campaign sought to convince the United Nations to

establish a Human Rights Commission (Odelberg).

Adolfo Prez Esquivel received the 1980

Nobel Peace Prize for devoting, his life to

the struggle for human rights, and running

the, organisation Servicio Paz y Justicia,

which promotes, fundamental human

rights, basing itself exclusively on non-

violent means. In his presentation speech,

he said, The institutionalised violence,

misery and oppression generate a dual

reality, fruit of the political and economic

systems that create injustice, sanctifying

a social order that benefits only a few:

the rich becomes ever richer at the

expense of the poor who becomes ever

poorer.


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In 1977, the military dictatorship arrested and tortured Esquivel for fourteen months. The

government received thousands of letters, demanding he be set free. Esquivel was even named

Amnesty Internationals political prisoner of the year, in 1978. Upon release, Esquivel returned

to SERPAJ. Shortly after his release in 1983, the military dictatorship was deposed and

members of the rouge government were brought to trial (Global Call to Action).

SERPAJ is still continuing its campaign to bring economic and social rights to the people

of Latin America. On the practical level this means that Servicio provides assistance to the rural

workers in their struggle for land, and to the trade unions in their struggle to protect the rights of

their workers (Odelberg). Currently, SERPAJ is working on a campaign to cancel debt in third

world countries.

Esquivel is currently active in a number of organizations. He supports The Mothers of

May Square and The Grandmothers of May Square. Both organizations seek to bring justice to

the families whose children disappeared during the Dirty War and reunite the kidnapped

children with their biological families. He has also started two Peace Villages which provide

training and housing for homeless and orphaned children in Argentina (Global Call to Action).

He is currently the president of the International Academy of Environmental Sciences, which is

working to create an International Environmental Criminal Court to protect the environment

(International Academy of Environmental Scientists). He is also actively involved in the

Comisin Provincial por la Memoria, a human rights organization based in Buenos Aires.

Esquivel stresses the importance of using peace as the only weapon to transform the

world. He states, to create this new society, we must present outstretched and friendly hands,

without hatred or rancor, even as we show great determination and never waver in the defense

of truth and justice (Global Call to Action). He insists that we transform our culture of death

into a culture of life (Global Call to Action). Change must be generated, not by a number of

casualties, but by the actions of inspirational, determined, and peaceful citizens. He not only

sought peaceful social change in his generation, but inspires others to do the same in the future.

The important issue, Esquivel says, is to communicate to the youth the hope for a new and

different world (Global Call to Action). He proves that anyone can instigate social change; a

masters degree in political science or a powerful occupation is not necessary. Adolfo Prez

Esquivel proves that all that is required of a social change activist is that she or he uses

nonviolent resistance as a tool to relentlessly pursue a peaceful world.

I think that peace is the great revolution that mankind is waiting for. Esquivel


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Al Gore, by Kasey Nagle

According to Al Gore,An Inconvenient Truth features the biggest problem we

will ever face. Though Gores documentary features a scary reality, he makes the

very dense issues understandable for any viewer. Because of this, it is remarkably

effective and praiseworthy. It would be easy to continue to commend Gore for his

accomplishments, however, this piece will focus on Gores life.

Albert Gore Jr. was born in Washington D.C. on March 31, 1948. As the son

of U.S. House of Representative, Albert Gore Sr., Gore spent his childhood back

and forth from D.C. and his fathers home in Tennessee. Gore attended St. Albans

where he played football and ran track. His senior prom date, Mary Elizabeth

Aitcheson, later became his wife. After graduating high school, he enrolled at

Harvard University, and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in

government. One class that made a lifelong impression on him was climate science.

This class which was taught by Roger Revelle introduced Gore to the issues of

climate control and made him focus on environmental issues throughout his political

career.

Al Gore and the United

Nations Climate Control

Panel won the noble peace

prize in 2007 for the

Academy Award winning

documentaryAn

Inconvenient Truth. The

documentary focuses on

our threatening habit of

abusing the ozone layer

and the epic problem ofglobal warning.


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After college, Gore was drafted into the army and fought in the Vietnam

War. He opposed the war but believed it was his public duty to participate.

Reflecting on the experience Gore said: I don't pretend that my own military

experience matches in any way what others here have been through [...] I didn't do

the most, or run the gravest danger. But I was proud to wear my country's uniform.

And my own experiences gave me strong beliefs about America's obligation to keep

our national defenses strong. After his service, Gore decided to continue his

education. He attended Vanderbilt University and studied journalism but after a year

transferred to the Vanderbilt Law School. Before finishing law school he decided to

run for his fathers former seat in Congress which he won in 1976 and remained in

Congress until 1993. In 1988 Gore made his first attempt at the democratic

presidential nomination but came in third to Michael Dukakis.

In April of 1989 his youngest child Albert III was hit by a car and was in critical

condition. Gore has said that this was a trauma so shattering that he views it as a

moment of personal rebirth and a key moment in his life which changed

everything. Mainly because of the accident, Gore did not attempt to run for

President again in 1992, but was selected as Bill Clintons running mate that same

election. During that year, Gore was able to publish his first book Earth in the

Balance, which was just a small preview of things to come.

Al Gore has done remarkable things in his political career, but none of his

triumphs compare to presenting the world withAn Inconvenient Truth. It is going to

take an idealist such as Al Gore to make people comprehend the problem our world

has in front of us. Doing nothing, and continuing on with our polluting habits, will just

further our future problems. As Gore said when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize

in 2007, We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political

issue; it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. This issue of climate

control is much grander than a political agenda, it is an issue everyones future

depends on and we must take on our roles as individuals to make a change before it

is too late.


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The 14th Dalai Lama, by Joe Cricchio

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is both the head of state and the

spiritual leader of Tibet. He was born on 6 July 1935, to a farming family in a small hamlet

located in Taktser, Amdo, Tibet. At the age of two, His Holiness who was named Lhamo

Dhondup at that time was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten

Gyatso. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig,

the Bodhisattva of Compassion and patron saint of Tibet. Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings

who have postponed their own nirvana and chosen to take rebirth in order to serve humanity

(Les Prix Nobel).

His Holiness began his monastic education at the early age of six. The curriculum

consisted of five major and five minor subjects. The major subjects were logic, Tibetan art and

culture, Sanskrit, medicine, and Buddhist philosophy which was further divided into five sub-

categories: Prajnaparimita, the perfection of wisdom; Madhyamika, the philosophy of the middle

Way; Vinaya, the canon of monastic discipline; Abidharma, metaphysics; and Pramana, logic

and epistemology. At 24, he took the preliminary examination at each of the three monastic

universities: Drepung, Sera, and Ganden. The final examination was held in Jokhang, Lhasa,during the annual Monlam Festival of Prayer, held during the first month of every year. In the

morning he was examined by 30 logic scholars (Les Prix Nobel). In the afternoon, he debated

with 15 scholars on the subject of the Middle Path, and in the evening, 35 scholars tested his

knowledge of the canon of monastic discipline and the study of metaphysics. His Holiness

passed the examinations with honors which was conducted before a vast audience of monk

scholars.

His Holiness was awarded the Nobel Peace

Prize in 1989 for his non-violent struggle for the

liberation of Tibet. He has consistently

advocated policies of non-violence, even in the

face of extreme aggression. In his Nobel lecture,

he said, I pray for all of us, oppressor and

friend, that together we succeed in building a

better world through human understanding and

love, and that in doing so we may reduce the

pain and suffering of all sentient beings.


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In 1950, a year after Chinas invasion of Tibet, His Holiness, at the age of 16, was called

upon to assume full political power. In 1954, he went to Beijing to engage in peace talks with

Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Chou Enlai, and other Chinese leaders. Despite these talks, the

brutal suppression of the Tibetan national uprising by Chinese troops in Lhasa continued; His

Holiness was forced to escape into exile in 1959. Since then, he has been living in Dharamsala,

India while the seat of the Tibetan political administration remains vacant due to his exile (Les

Prix Nobel).

In the early years of exile, His Holiness appealed to the United Nations on the question

of Tibet, resulting in three resolutions adopted by the General Assembly in 1959, 1961, and

1965 (Les Prix Nobel). In 1963, His Holiness enacted a draft constitution for Tibet which assures

a democratic form of government. In the last two decades, His Holiness has set up educational,

cultural and religious institutions which have made major contributions towards the preservation

of the Tibetan identity and its rich heritage. He has given many teachings and initiations,

including the rare Kalachakra Initiation, which he has conducted more than any of his

predecessors.

In September 1987 His Holiness proposed the Five Point Peace Plan for Tibet as the

first step towards a peaceful solution to the worsening situation in Tibet. The Five Point Peace

Plan consisted of five main components. The first component was to transform Tibet into a zone

of peace. The second was the abandonment of China's population transfer policy that threatens

the very existence of the Tibetans as a people. The third was respect for the Tibetan people's

fundamental human rights and democratic freedoms. The forth was to restore and protect

Tibet's natural environment and to abandon China's use of Tibet for the production of nuclear

weapons and dumping of nuclear waste. The final component was a Commencement of earnest

negotiations on the future status of Tibet and between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples. China

has so far failed to respond positively to the various peace proposals put forward by His

Holiness.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a man of peace. He also became the first Nobel Laureate

to be recognized for his concern for global environmental problems. As both a political and

religious leader his first commitment is the promotion of human values such as compassion,

forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. He is a man that believes that all human

beings are created equal. Through all of his achievements and successes the Dalai Lama still

describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk.


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Desmond Tutu, by Mike Napolitano

Noting his achievement in striving for peace,

the Nobel committee recognized Archbishop Tutu for his doctrine of non-

violence in the face of extreme oppression and racism at the hands of the

minority-ruling Apartheid government in South Africa. For years under the

Apartheid regime, Tutu called for non-violence and justice in the face of

heartless abuse. With his formulated objective for South Africa, Archbishop

Tutu called for, a democratic and just society without racial divisions.

Beyond that, he listed four points in which he put his minimal demands:

1. Equal civil rights for all

2. The abolition of South Africas passport laws (meant to restrict the

movement of blacks to segregated areas).

3. A common system of education (in rejection of the Bantu Education)

4. The cessation of forced deportation from South Africa to the so-calledhome lands.

In his quest for justice, Desmond Tutu inspired many to seek positive action

in the face of the radical negativity of the Apartheid regime and its policies.

It is noted that, his policy of forgiveness and reconciliation has become an

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, General

Secretary of the South African

Council of Churches, received theNobel Peace Prize in 1984, for his

role as a unifying leader figure in the

campaign to resolve the problem of

apartheid in South Africa. In his

acceptance speech, he said, In

dehumanizing others, they are

themselves dehumanized. Perhaps

oppression dehumanizes the

oppressor as much as, if not morethan, the oppressed. They need each

other to become truly free, to become

human.


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international example of conflict resolution and a trusted method of post-

conflict reconstruction.

Archbishop Tutu came from humble roots. Born in Klerksdorp,

Transvaal in 1931 he attended Bantu High School in Johannesburg. Tututhen went on to become a high school teacher. After graduating from the

University of South Africa in 1954 he began to study theology

independently. He abandoned teaching in 1960 and was ordained as a

priest that year. From 1962 to 1966 Tutu pursued his masters in theology in

England and then traveled back to South Africa to teach theology.

Tutu has held many positions in South African religious structures,

including the Dean of St. Marys Cathedral in Johannesburg, and later the

Bishop of Lesotho. Prior to winning the Peace Prize in 1984, Tutu waselected to one of the highest religious positions in South Africa when he

became the General Secretary of South African Council of Churches. A

month after receiving the Peace Prize, Tutu was elected and installed as

the Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg and later became the Archbishop of

Cape Town.

Archbishop Tutu has been recognized by many institutions for his

philosophies, teachings, and action. He has received many honorary

doctorates from numerous institutions in the United States, Britain, andGermany. In his continuing quest for human rights and justice Archbishop

Tutu continues to attend peace conferences and, last year, recorded a

public service announcement in South Africa for the Every Human Has a

Right, campaign for the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights.


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Elie Wiesel, by Nicole Colomban

Elie Wiesel, a Jewish writer, inspirer, and political activist, won the Nobel Peace

Prize in 1986. He has written 57 books, with Night being the most read and critically

acclaimed, and to me, the most inspiring.

Wiesel grew up in the small town of Sighet located in Transylvania, with three

sisters and his parents Sarah and Shlomo. His father influenced him to have a strong

sense of humanity while his mother stressed Judaism. Their positive influences shaped

his view of the world and gave him the strength to endure the atrocities of the

Holocaust.

Wiesels hellish journey began when his family was placed into one of two Nazi

ghettos and, from there, his family was sent to Auschwitz. In Auschwitz, he was

separated from both his mother and sister Tzipora. Elie stayed close to his father while

dealing with death, torture, and the unimaginable cruelty of the Nazis. About a year

later, Wiesels father succumbed to exhaustion, starvation, and dysentery. His death

proved to be rather tragic as they were liberated months after his death. The war took

Wiesels mother, father, Tzipora, and millions of others; entire families were destroyed

by those who were influenced by blind hatred. It is hard to accept that similar crimes are

still being committed today.

Elie Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986for speaking out against violence, racism, andoppression. In his Nobel lecture, he noted thatfor the first time in history, we could not buryour dead. We bear their graves withinourselves. For us, forgetting was never anoption.


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For many years after the war, Wiesel could not write about his experience, it was

simply too disturbing to talk about. He didnt know how to appropriately describe all that

he had witnessed and the immense hurt he had endured. But, in 1952, with a little push

from a friend, he finally decided to write about the events of the Holocaust. He struggled

through this first book, but as the eloquence and uniqueness of his work spread, it

received much success and was subsequently sold in many different languages.

Elie Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. He won the prize for speaking

out against violence, racism, and oppression. A year before recieving Nobel Peace

Prize, Wiesel earned the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest non-military award the

US Congress gives. He is one of the most inspirational figures in history. Wiesel stands

as a symbol for the perseverance of good over evil, humanity against barbarity. His

stories help teach us how to move forward and let wounds heal. Wiesel will forever

remain an important figure in history. His experiences have now helped him find his way

back to God and have pushed him to defend all those who endure suffering and

humiliation. He seeks to defend the weak, and through this defense, show us how to

live.

DrawingofWieselbyColomban


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Elie Wiesel, by Lauren Utter

Elie Wiesel once affirmed, What unites all of us as human beings is the

aspiration to make the world better, more compassionate, with less conflict, less hate

and hardship, and with more tolerance and understanding. Wiesel, a Jewish survivor of

the Holocaust, experienced firsthand the violent horrors that can arise from oppression

and racism. His parents and younger sister were killed in the Nazi extermination camps

during World War II. Only Weisel and his two older sisters were liberated from the

camps by the U.S. Army in 1945. In Wiesel`s noble lecture, he stated in regard to the

survivors memories of the concentration camps:

It was not until ten years after Wiesel`s liberation that he finally made the

decision to break the silence surrounding the Holocaust. Up until then, Wiesel was

struggling to regain his identity; his previous identity had been replaced with the number

A 7713. Wiesel credits the Catholic writer Francois Mauriac for his decision to write of

the horrors. During a 1954 interview with Mauriac, Wiesel strongly reacted to Mauriac`s

relentless talk of the suffering of Jesus. Wiesel raged with emotion when he said to

Mauriac, Ten years ago, not far from here, I knew Jewish children everyone of whom

Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in

1986 for his work as chairman of the United

States Holocaust Memorial Council from 1980-

1986 and for acting as, A messenger to

mankind and a human being dedicated to

humanity. The Nobel Committee recognized

that Wiesel has emerged as one of the most

important spiritual leaders and guides in an age

when violence, repression and racism continue

to characterize the world.

Each one of us felt compelled to bear witness, such were the wishes ofthe dying, the testament of the dead. Since the so-called civilized worldhad no use for their lives, then let it be inhabited by their deaths. Thegreat historian Shimon Dubnov served as our guide and inspiration. Untilthe moment of his death he said over and over again to his companionsin the Riga ghetto: "Yidden, shreibt un fershreibt"(Jews, write it alldown). His words were heeded. Overnight, countless victims becamechroniclers and historians in the ghettos, even in the death camps.


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suffered a thousand times more, six million times more, than Christ on the cross. And

we dont speak about them. Mauriac urged Wiesel to write down his horrific

experiences in the concentration camps and within a year, Wiesel had finished writing

the memoirNight.

Nightis a classic account of the Holocaust. Since then, Wiesel has published

over 40 works. He once responded in an interview as to why he writes saying, I swore

never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and

humiliation. Wiesel`s work is not only concerned with unveiling the horrors of the past,

but directly focuses on preventing the possible victory of evil forces in the future. He

said, I will conquer our murderers by attempting to reconstruct what they destroyed.

Wiesel has advocated against persecution, oppression, and racism of Jews. He

has also spoken out for the victims of oppression all over the world. Some examples

include Argentina`s Desaparecidos, apartheid in South Africa, Cambodian refugees, the

Kurds in Iraq, the Miskito Indians in Nicaragua, the war victims in Bosnia, and the

victims of famine and genocide in Africa.

He has received countless awards and honorary doctorates for his literature and

advocacy, including the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal, the Medal of Liberty Award,

and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel

Committee, Egil Aarvik, powerfully affirmed Elie Wiesel`s presentation speech, truly,

prisoner number A 7713 has become a human being once again, a human being

dedicated to humanity.

Below is an excerpt from Elie Wiesel`s Nobel acceptance speech:

Of course we could try to forget the past. Why not? Is it not natural for ahuman being to repress what causes him pain, what causes him shame?Like the body, memory protects its wounds. When day breaks after asleepless night, one's ghosts must withdraw; the dead are ordered back totheir graves. But for the first time in history, we could not bury our dead.We bear their graves within ourselves. For us, forgetting was never anoption.


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Jimmy Carter, by Carola Madrid

Jimmy Carter served as the 39th president of the United States. Althoughhe only served in office for four years, his influence from those years reach farbeyond many of his presidential peers. Carter has been one of the only

presidents who has taken an interest in the Middle East. From the outset of hisadministration, he sought and envisioned a, final peaceful solution to thiscentury. His consistent advocacy for peaceful solutions with consideration forinternational law sets him apart not only as a diplomat, but as a global citizen.

Carters vision of how to achieve peace in the Middle East led to hisinvolvement in mediating the Camp David Accords, a thirteen day peaceconference between Menachem Begin, the Prime Minister of Israel, and AnwarSadat, the president of Egypt. Carters courage knew no limits: He was notafraid to announce that the Palestinian people had a right to a homeland, and

that their human rights must be protected. He also held that Israel mustwithdraw from conquered territory from the 1967 war and abide by the principlesof international law, in particular, UN Resolution 242. The overwhelmingachievement of the Camp David Accords, embracing UN Resolution 242, werenot only signed by all three leaders, but were also ratified by the Israeli Knessetin 1978. The peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, signed 26 March 1979,would never have been achieved without Carter and remains today the oneimportant peace treaty in this area of conflict.

Jimmy Carter received the Nobel

Peace Prize in 2002 for standing by the

principle that, conflicts must beresolved through mediation and

international cooperation based on

international law, respect for human

rights, and economic development. In

his Nobel acceptance speech, Carter

stated, the bond of our common

humanity is stronger than the

divisiveness of our fears and

prejudices. God gives us the capacityfor choice. We can choose to alleviate

suffering. We can choose to work

together for peace. We can make these

changes and we must.


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After leaving the White House in 1981, the Carter family wanted tocontinue working for peace in the world. Thus they founded the Carter Center in

Atlanta, Georgia for the purpose of helping countries resolve their internalconflicts by encouraging individuals and governments to undertake peacetalks instead of resorting to civil violence or military force. The Carter Center

also teaches African farmers to grow more food, works with other internationalorganizations to immunize children, and continues human rights work. TheCenter also created the International Negotiation Network to study conflicts andways to prevent or end them (Ibid p. xii-xiii).

In their citation, the Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Carters veryextensive and persevering conflict resolution on several continents (Citation, p.xi). The Committee continues, He has shown outstanding commitment to humanrights, and has served as an observer at countless elections all over the world.He has worked hard on many fronts to fight tropical diseases and to bring about

growth and progress in developing countries.In Carters Nobel Peace Prize Lecture, delivered on 10 December 2002,

he quotes Ralph Bunch: To suggest that war can prevent war is despicableThe objective of any who sincerely believe in peace clearly must be to exhaustevery honorable recourse in the effort to save the peace. The world has hadample evidence that war begets only conditions that beget further war. He goeson to say, There are at least eight nuclear powers on earth. For powerfulcountries to adopt a principle of preventive war may well set an example that canhave catastrophic consequences. If we accept the premise that the UnitedNations is the best avenue for the maintenance of peace, then the carefully

considered decisions of the UN Security Council must be enforced (Carter, p.11-12). Carter sees that the growing chasm between the richest and the poorestpeople on earth is the root cause of most of the worlds unresolved problems,including starvation, illiteracy, environmental degradation, violent conflict, andunnecessary illnesses (Carter p. 19). He closes the acceptance lecture byaffirming, The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness ofour fears and prejudices. God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose toalleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can makethese changes- and we must (Ibid p. 20).

Carter cautions all, Peacemaking is not easy it is much more difficultthan making war we must not relax in our efforts to ease the pain andsuffering caused by conflict and to help the worlds people secure their safety,health, and freedoms (Ibid p. xiv).


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Mdecins Sans Frontires, by Alanna Heneberry

Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, is an international

humanitarian organization which provides medical relief to underserved populations and to

countries in conflict or crisis. Doctors Without Borders was started in France, in 1972, by 10

doctors. Today, more than 27,000 doctors, nurses, administrators, epidemiologists, logistic

experts, laboratory technicians, mental health professionals, sanitary specialists and other

professionals work daily to carry out MSFs humanitarian missions. MSF has provided aid to

about 80 countries, 20 of which are in conflict (Doctors Without Borders). In 1999, MSF was

awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, In recognition of the organizations pioneering

humanitarian work on several continents (Nobel Prize).

Dr. James Orbinski, the president of MSF at the time, accepted the award on behalf

of MSF on 10 December 1999 in Oslow, Norway. The speech was widely broadcasted, and

was the first Nobel Speech to be shown live over the internet (Doctors Without Borders). Dr.

Orbinski used the speech as a way to speak publicly of the injustices of the world. MSF

believes that providing medical relief is not enough; they strive to inform the public on the

violence, neglect, corruption, and atrocities which the MSF workers witness during their

work. Dr. Orbinski explained the importance of speaking out on these issues, stating, We

are not sure that words can always save lives, but we know that silence can certainly kill

Doctors Without Borders received the

Nobel Peace Prize in 1999, In

recognition of the organizationspioneering humanitarian work on

several continents. In their

acceptance speech they noted their

mission to, Bring medical aid to

people in distress is an attempt to

defend them against what is

aggressive to them as human beings.


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(Nobel). In 1985, MSF gave a voice to the hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians who were

displaced by its government. In 1994, during the Rwandan genocide, they called for an

international military response. In 1995, MSF brought public attention to the Serbian

massacre of the civilians at Srebrenica. During the acceptance speech, Dr.Orbinski pleaded

with President Yeltsin and the Russian Ambassador to stop the bombings of the people of

Chechnya and Grozny (Doctors Without Borders). These are just a few of the examples of

MSFs actions to bring attention to critical matters which threaten humanity. MSF workers

sometimes pay for their insistence on blowing the whistle; some have been kidnapped and

others murdered. In the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, hundreds of MSF volunteers were killed.

MSF sees the Nobel Peace award as honoring the lives lost, and those who risk their lives

daily, working to help correct the injustices of the world (Doctors Without Borders).

The proceeds from MSFs Nobel Peace Prize were used to establish the Neglected

Disease Fund. The fund supports projects which help treat neglected diseases such as

sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, and malaria. These diseases are neglected

by the world at large because they mostly affect poor populations with incomes too sparse

to motivate pharmaceutical companies to seek cures for these illnesses.

Doctors Without Borders continues to give hope to the millions of people around the

world who are suffering from disease, war, malnutrition and political injustices.


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Mother Teresa, by Briana Timlin

In a world where wealth is measured by monetary status, appearances, flashy

cars and expensive jewelry, the existence of devout, selfless, volunteers seems to often

be forgotten amidst the chaotic, material-oriented lifestyle that smothers many

individuals. Mother Teresa, on the other hand, lived an incredibly simple life where she

sought to promote peace and oneness. She was a woman that selflessly lived in

poverty so that she could relentlessly help the human race, a woman that performed

countless acts of mercy so that no one was left hungry or alone. But, more than

anything, she was a woman that possessed wealth that cannot be measured on any

objective scale. The prosperity that she was endowed with came from a transcendentalplace; it came from helping others by being a missionary to spread the love of Christ

and from her unbending determination to achieve peace in this world.

Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Yugoslavia on August 26, 1910, she

was the youngest child of her Albanian family. At the age of twelve, Agnes strongly felt

the call of God and was convinced that she should commit herself to a religious life as a

missionary. The Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India,

welcomed the eighteen year-old Agnes, who would never see her own family again.

After learning to speak English in Ireland, she used her new language to help teach

school children at the Loreto convent school in eastern Kolkata. She took her firstreligious vows as a nun on May 24, 1931, when she chose the name Teresa, after Saint

Thrse de Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries.

When Sister Teresa worked at the convent, she received another call from God

that she must live among the poor if she was truly going to help them. It was after that

revelation in September 1946 that she left the convent to live among the poor. Because

she had no income, she was forced to beg for food and supplies, struggling to get by.

Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

in 1979 "for work undertaken in the struggle toovercome poverty and distress, which also

constitutes a threat to peace." In her Nobel Lecture,

she spoke of the importance of spreading peace,

saying, You must come to know the poor, maybe

our people here have material things, everything,

but I think that if we all look into our own homes,

how difficult we find it sometimes to smile at each

other, but that smile is the beginning of loveand

so let us always meet each other with a smile.


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Faced with loneliness, pain, hunger and doubt, she would look for food but would often

become tired and her body would ache. When confronted with this, she would simply

contemplate the extent of poverty which the poor must feel and her worries would

vanish. In her diary, she recorded, Of free choice, my God, and out of love for you, I

desire to remain and do whatever be your Holy will in my regard. I did not let a single

tear come. Her selfless and loving nature was extraordinary.

On 7 October 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Vatican to start

her own order, The Missionaries of Charity. Its purpose was to care for the hungry,

the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel

unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden

to the society and are shunned by everyone." With the help of charitable funding, she

was able to open shelters, homes, hospices, orphanages, and leper houses all over

India. These outreach clinics provided medications, bandages and food. In one of her

compelling statements she said, I try to give to the poor people for love what the rich

could get for money. No, I wouldnt touch a leper for a thousand pounds; yet I willingly

cure him for the love of God, epitomizing her heavenly and altruistic mentality.

Along with being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, Mother Teresa

received many other accolades for her lifetime dedication to missionary work. She

refused her ceremonial Laureate banquet and asked instead that the $192,000 of

allocated funds for the banquet be given to the poor in India. During her gripping Nobel

Peace Prize acceptance speech, given on 11 December 1979 in Oslo, Norway, Mother

Teresa motivated her audience to spread love and peace by sharing with one another

and putting ones ideas into action.

Mother Teresa sacrificed her life for the wellbeing of others and was at peace

with herself in doing so. She is one of the most influential figures of our time and

possessed a magnitude of strength and courage of which most people could only hope

to attain a fraction of throughout their lifetime. She was dedicated to making people feel

wanted; she did not follow the jaded, tainted rubric that the rest of our world follows

when it comes to measuring the value of ones life. The poorest people, in her eyes,

were those who had it all in the material sense, but lived a life without love. She was

genuinely saddened by situations of the absence of love and peace. She theorized that

if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. Her

accomplishments have left people in awe. She was a simple woman that followed

simple morals: love one another and spread peace.


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Oscar Arias Sanchez, by Emily Fiore

Oscar Arias Sanchez was born in 1940 in the province of Heredia, Costa Rica.

Sanchezs family was in the coffee business and therefore very wealthy, but this did not affect

the feeling of brotherhood he would come to share with all Costa Ricans. In 1948 President

Jose Figueres Ferrer made the historic decision to abolish the Costa Rican army. This was a

seminal event in Sanchezs life. As president, one of his central political ideas is that no country

needs the military to ensure safety and stability. He said famously, We need to understand that

the security of a state does not necessarily come from the military. The true security of state

comes from the quality of life of the people.

Sanchez received an extensive education, studying medicine, law and economics in

Costa Rica, the United States, and England. He returned to Costa Rica in 1970 to work for

former President Figueres Ferrer, who was seeking reelection. When Figueres Ferrer won in

1972, Sanchez was appointed Minister of National Planning and Political Economy. In 1975, the

National Liberation Party elected him International Secretary and in 1979, General Secretary.

After working for several other political campaigns, Sanchez was elected President of Costa

Rica in 1986.

At the time of Sanchezs first election, Latin America was facing many political

challenges, some of them violent. The Sandinistas had overthrown the Somoza dynasty inNicaragua and the US was training Contras in Honduras and Costa Rica. Latin America was

also becoming the battleground of the Cold War. Sanchezs first objective as president was to

remove Costa Rica from any involvement, direct or indirect, in the Cold War conflict. His

presidential predecessors had allowed the United States to build a clandestine airport on Costa

Rican soil. Sanchez saw this as a violation of Costa Ricas proclaimed neutrality and quickly

reversed this precedent. The United States was pressuring Costa Rica to militarize and defeat

the Sandinistas, even threatening economic sanctions. However, Sanchez refused to acquiesce

Oscar Arias Sanchez the recipient of the

1987 Nobel Peace Prize, firmly held that, A

prerequisite for lasting peace is realization of

democratic ideals, with freedom and equality

for all. In the highlight of his Nobel lecture,

Sanchez said, I do not share this defeatism.

I cannot accept that to be a realist means to

tolerate misery, violence, and hate. I do not

believe that a hungry man who expresses his

suffering should be treated as a subversive. I

can never accept that the law be used to

justify tragedy, that things must remain as

they are, that we must abandon all thoughts

of a different world. The law is the path of

freedom and as such must offer equal

opportunity for the development of all.


23/31

and argued that the US Contra forces were more of a problem than a solution. In May 1986,

Sanchez began talks with the presidents of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua

to discuss proposals for a Central American Peace Plan. In 1987, an agreement was finally

reached and all five presidents met in Guatemala to sign what would become known as the

Esquipulas II Accords orthe Procedure to Establish a Firm and Lasting Peace in Central

America. This remains one of Sanchezs most notable political successes to date. Sanchezrecounted a more intimate moment of the meeting,

When we five Central American presidents were crossing the plaza to enter the National

Cathedral of Guatemala for a mass of thanksgiving after signing the peace plan, there

was an indigenous woman on one side of the crowd, her hair braided and her feet bare.

She was holding a child and her face was full of the sadness and resignation that

marked so many Central Americans at that time, who had witnessed too many years of

violence. After the mass, we came out of the cathedral and were again crossing the

plaza, and the woman approached me. She said, Thank you, seor Presidente, for this

son and the one who is fighting. I will never forget that woman and the ratification she

gave to all my efforts in favor of the peace plan. In my heart, her words will always bemore important than those of the international press, academic analysts, and political

pundits. She spoke with the voice of the people, and it humbled me. That was a great

day(Guernica Magazine).

President Oscar Arias Sanchez truly is a peoples president. Using the money that would

normally be used for military development, he continues to work to better the educational and

living standards of his people. He feels confident and safe in Costa Rica, dining in public

restaurants and driving his own car. This complete commitment to peace, security, and

nonviolence sets a powerful example for his fellow citizens. Sanchez has vast wisdom to share

for any world leader that is striving to develop peace as well as a sage awareness of the worlds

tenuous political atmosphere. He is a powerful voice for Latin America, an optimist, an idealist,and one of the greatest political treasures in the world today.

For More Information

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1987/index.html

http://www.worldtrek.org/odyssey/latinamerica/oscar/oscarbio.html

http://www.scu.edu/ethics/architects-of-peace/Sanchez/essay.html

http://www.guernicamag.com/interviews/36/oscar_arias_snchez/

http://www.mssu.edu/international/Latinam/speech.htm


24/31

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, by Colleen Ryan

Burma, a country of around 50 million people is ruled

by fear. A military machine of 500,000 soldiers denies a

whole nation its most basic rights. Aung San Suu Kyi,

pro- democracy leader and Nobel Prize winner,

symbolizes the struggle of Burmas people to be

free.(Burmacampaign.org)

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (pronounced Ong San

Soo Chee) was born in Rangoon, Burma, On June

19,1945. Her mother Daw Khin Kyi was Burmas only

woman ambassador to India and Nepal. Her father,General Aung San led independence movements and

was assassinated in 1947. Aung San Suu Kyi was

educated in Rangoon until she left for New Delhi with

her mother at age fifteen. From 1969 to 1971, Suu Kyi

was the Assistant secretary on the United Nations

Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary

concerns. In 1972, she worked at the Ministry of foreign

affairs in Bhutan as the Research Officer. She also

married an English scholar Dr. Michael Aris and had

two sons. Her life turned when in 1988 she returned

home to Burma to care for her sick mother.

In 1988, mass demonstrations were taking

place nationwide for Democracy, and Suu Kyi took a

leading role. She joined the NLD, National League for

Democracy and gave many speeches advocating for

freedom and democracy. The regime responded with

force and killed 5,000 demonstrators. In 1989, the

military placed Suu Kyi under house arrest. Amnesty

international declared her a prisoner of conscience.

Even though NLD leaders including Daw Suu Kyi were arrested, the party won the election by82 %. Still, the military junta refused to honor the election results.

Daw Suu Kyis containment gained her national and international attention. She

continued to deny offers to leave the country because she would never be allowed back in.

While contained in 1990, Aung San Su Kyi was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of

Thought and the Rafto Prize and the Jawaharlal peace prize by the Government of India. In

1991, she won the Nobel Peace Prize for insisting on nonviolence in Burmas struggle for

NobelPrizecitation:Forher

nonviolentstrugglefor

democracyandhuman

rights..theNorwegianNobel

Committeewishestohonor

thiswomenforherunflagging

effortsandtoshowitssupport

forthemanypeople

throughoutthe

world

who

are

strivingtoattaindemocracy,

humanrightsandethnic

conciliationbypeaceful

means

NobelPeacePrizeAward

speech:Inthegoodfightfor

peaceandreconciliation,we

aredependentonpersonswho

setexamples,personswhocan

symbolizewhatweareseeking

andmobilizethebestinus.

AungSanSuuKyiisjustsucha

person.Sheunitesdeep

commitmentandtenacitywith


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democracy. Since she was under house arrest and not allowed to leave at the time, her son

received the award for her.

Her initial detainment ended in 1995, but she was put under house arrest again in 2000.

In May of 2003 at the time of Depayin massacre where 100 supporters were beaten to death by

the regimes militia she was detained again. Suu Kyi is still detained today. Her phone has been

cut, her mail is intercepted, and the NLD volunteers providing her security at her compound

were removed in 2004. Yet, she continues to maintain her position, It is not power that corrupts

but fear.

Today, Burma is considered one of the most brutal and corrupt regimes in the world.

They are responsible for many human rights abuses: the widespread use of forced labor,

murder, detainment without trial, massive forced relocations-over 1 million people forced from

their homes, 2,100 political prisoners who are often tortured, 70,000 child soldiers(more than

any nations in the world), and using rape to maintain force. Under their rule, the standard of

living has fallen with half the government budget spent on the military. Today in Burma, one in

ten children die before the age of five. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has charged

Burmas regime with a crime against humanity.

On December 10, 1991, Suu Kyis son Alexander Aris accepted her Nobel Peace Prize.

In the acceptance speech, he explained: This regime has through almost thirty years of misrulereduced the once prosperous Golden Land of Burma to one of the worlds most economically

destitute nations. He continued: We must remember that the lonely struggle taking place in a

heavily guarded compound in Rangoon is part of the much larger struggle, worldwide, for the

emancipation of the human spirit from political tyranny and psychological subjection. He quotes

his mother To live the full life one must have the courage to bear the responsibility of the needs

of othersthe quest for democracy in Burma is the struggle of a people to live whole,

meaningful lives as free and equal members of the world community. It is part of the unceasing

human endeavor to prove that the spirit of man can transcend the flaws of his nature

Iknowthatshewouldbeginby

sayingthatsheacceptstheNobel

Prizefor

Peace

not

in

her

own

name

butinthenameofallpeopleof

Burmatoallthosemen,women,and

childrenwho,evenasIspeak,

continuetosacrificetheirwellbeing,

theirfreedomandtheirlivesin

pursuitofademocraticBurma.Theirs

istheprizeandtheirswillbethe

eventualvictoryinBurmaslong

struggleforpeacefreedomand

democracy


26/31

Wangari Maathai, by Anthony Antonecchia

She was recognized for collectively planting

over 30 million trees of peace, trees of conflict

resolution, trees of reconciliation, and trees ofdemocracy as part of her Green Belt

Movement. The trees that were planted were

planted for prisoners of conscience, food,

shelter, education, household needs, employment, soils, watersheds, and

feminine empowerment.

In her Nobel lecture, or acceptance speech, she noted that, Those of us

who are privileged receivers of education, skills, experiences, and even

power must be role models for the next generation of leadership. We must

come to understand that while it is necessary to raise our voices and hold

our governments accountable, it is equally important that in our own

relationships with each other, we exemplify the leadership values we wish

to see in leaders, namely justice, integrity and trust.

We should rediscover the positive aspects of our culture, and accept them

for a sense of belonging, identity, and self-confidence.

Interconnected are our govern-and-environ-ments. Let us embracedemocratic governance, protect human rights and protect our environment.

I am confident that we shall rise to the occasion. I have always believed

that solutions to most of our problems must come fromus. The choice

is..ours. That time is.now.

Wangari Maat hai was a w arded

The Nobel Peace Prize in 200 4,For her contribution to

sustainable development,

democracy and peac e.


27/31

Drawing of Maathai by Antonecchia


28/31

End Note

A majority of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates more than

deserve their awards for their efforts to bring peaceand justice to the world. There are, however, many

people who are not recognized for their work for

peace. One prime example is Eleanor Roosevelt. As

one of the leaders in the development of international

human rights doctrines, and an author of the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, she could

have been recognized by the Nobel Committee but,

regrettably, was not. This page is a tribute to all those

who have done great work for humanity but have not

been recognized for their efforts.

-Mike Napolitano

Eleanor Roosevelt with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (Copyright UNHCHR)


29/31

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.Comisin Provincial por la Memoria. 2005. 02 Apr. 2009.

I.A.E.S. - International Academy of Environmental Sciences. 02 Apr. 2009.

Odelberg, Wilhelm. Adolfo Prez Esquivel - Biography. 1980. Nobelprize.org. 26 Feb.2009 .

Nagle:Sack, Kevin (August 23, 2000). "THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE VICE PRESIDENT; Gore Tells Fellow

Veterans He Is Dedicated to Military". New York Times Archives. Retrieved on 2009-04-11."Al Gore: Quick Biography". New York Times. October 11, 2007.http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/us/topics_algore_bio.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-11.

Gore, Al. "Al's Bio". algore.com. http://www.algore.com/about.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-11.

Napolitano:"Bishop Tutu given Nobel Prize in Oslo." The New York Times 11 Dec. 1984. 11 Apr. 2009

.

"Desmond Tutu - Biography." Nobelprize.org. The Nobel Foundation. 10 Apr. 2009.

"Desmond Tutu: theElders.org." Theelders.org. The Elders. 11 Apr. 2009.

Koch, David. "Desmond Tutu makes PSA." Unicef.org. UNICEF. 12 Apr. 2009.

"The Nobel Peace Prize for 1984." Nobelprize.org. Nobel Foundation. 10 Apr. 2009

."Presentation Speech." Nobelprize.org. Nobel Foundation. 10 Apr. 2009

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Colomban:Frunza, Sandu. "Celebrating a Storyteller: Elie Wiesel." Journal for the Study of Religions and

Ideologies 7: 106-12.

Utter:"Elie Wiesel." Jewish Virtual Library. 8 Mar. 2009

."Elie Wiesel." The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. 10 Mar. 2009

.

"The Nobel Peace Prize 1986." Nobel Prize. The Nobel Foundation. 5 Mar. 2009.

"Presentation Speech." Nobel Prize. The Nobel Foundation. 10 Mar. 2009.

Madrid:Abrams, Irwin, The Nobel Peace Prize and Jimmy Carter. The Antioch ReviewCarter, Jimmy, Talking Peace. Putton, NY, NY, 1993Carter, Jimmy, The Nobel Peace Prize Lecture, Simon and Schuster, NY, 2002Martin, W. & Barnes, L. (2003, March). President Jimmy Carters Nobel Prize. Washington Report on


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Middle East Affairs, 22(2), 40.

Henneberry:"About US: History and Principles." Doctors Without Borders. 2008. Doctors Without Borders. 22 Mar.

2009 ."Doctors without Borders Awarded 1999 Nobel Peace Prize." International Journal on World Peace 16

(1999).""Doctors without Borders" wins Nobel Peace Prize." Xaverian Mission Newsletter (25 Oct. 1999)."Mdecins Sans Frontires The Nobel Peace Prize 1999." Nobel Prize. 10 Oct. 1999. Nobel Prize. 29

Mar. 2009 ."Nobel Peace Prize Laureate." Mdecins Sans Frontires 10 Dec. 1999. MSF. 22 Mar. 2009

."The Nobel Prize." Doctors Without Borders. Doctors Without Borders. 1 Apr. 2009

."What is Doctors Without Borders/ Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF)?" Doctors Without Borders. 2007.

Doctors Without Borders. 1 Apr. 2009 .

Ryan:"About Burma." Campaigning for Human RIghts and Democarcy in Burma. The Burma Campaign. 15 Apr.

2009 ."Aung San Suu Kyi Acceptance Speech." Nobelprize.org. 10 Apr. 2009 ."Human Rights." Campaigning for Human Rights and Democracy in Burma. The Burma Campaign. 15

Apr. 2009 ."The Nobel Peace Prize 1991 c." Nobelprize.org. 10 Apr. 2009 .


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Professor Mar Peter-Raouls class

Praxis I+II:

Ma rist College Public Praxis Projec t

33 99 N orth Road

Poughkeepsie, NY 12 60 1

http://www.marist.edu/liberalarts/philrel/pubpraxis/

http://www.praxivism.blogspot.com

nobel lecture-nobel booklet

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