Maathai wins Nobel Peace Prize - wonderful!
I can’t say how thrilled I am about the choice for Nobel Peace Prize this year - Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai. Her Green Belt Movement, comprised mainly of women, says it has planted 30 million trees across Africa to combat creeping deforestation that often deepens poverty.
There’s mixed reaction to the announcement. Some, like Carl Hagen, leader of a far-right political party in Norway, said, “You don’t give the Nobel chemistry prize to a professor in economics. A peace prize should honor peace, not the environment.” First of all, there is no “environmental” prize (although there of course should be). Secondly, peace and environmental protection are intrinsically linked. As Maathai told Norwegian radio, “Many wars in the world are actually fought over natural resources. In managing our resources … we plant the seeds of peace, both now and in the future.” Check this out:
Crying with delight, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai planted a tree to celebrate winning the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday and vowed to use the money to strengthen her campaign to save Africa’s forests.
“I have never seen so much money in my life!” she told Reuters in an interview in her home town of Nyeri, which nestles in the shadow of Mount Kenya, Africa’s second highest peak.
…
In habitual no-nonsense fashion, she removed her jewellery and got down on her hands and knees to plant the seedling, sinking fingers and forearms deep into the earth to make sure it was safely embedded.
May the understanding of the interconnectedness of peace among all living things be so embedded. I’m excited to see the committee recognize this distinction; that care for the earth is so vital to creating global peace. My heart is glad. The official acknowledgement of Matthai: “for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.”
Kath said,
October 8, 2004 @ 4:02 pm
Excellent points, Emily.
It also goes to show that one person CAN make a difference.
Welcome Back! You were missed
Marie said,
October 8, 2004 @ 7:08 pm
Wow - what a GREAT story! Especially after the conversations we’ve had around the same thing. Taking care of our planet is rapidly becoming one of the more obvious ways we can put peacebuilding theories into practice and make some real transformation possible.
Christine said,
October 8, 2004 @ 9:52 pm
Emily
This was so wisely given…..a woman, a woman of color, an unheard of (well, I hadn’t heard of her) woman and someone who believes in this planet for the sake of its inhabitants……it gives me such hope! I was very moved this morning when I heard of this……here was a woman planting trees! Just WOW! After all of the B.S. going on with our politics, the whole Iraq mess…..this and the election in Afghanistan….and a woman running there - it is just refreshing!
alan said,
October 9, 2004 @ 2:31 pm
I hope reporting of her comments about AIDS is wrong:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3729248.stm
Emily said,
October 9, 2004 @ 3:06 pm
The Standard reports that, after receiving news of her award, Mrs Maathai “courted controversy on the issue of HIV/Aids and human rights”.
“Although I am a biologist, I have not done any research. I may not be able to say who developed the (HIV) virus but it was meant to wipe out the black race,” the report quotes her as saying.
Who knows if her theory is accurate, but I can’t say I admire her work any less for having said that.
Wendy Maybury said,
October 10, 2004 @ 12:27 pm
this really warmed my heart!