F&x HouphouEt-Boigny Peace Prize to. Yitzhak Rabin Shimon Peres Yasser Arafat Prime Minister Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel

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1 Paris, 6 July 1994 Ceremony for the award of the 1993 F&x HouphouEt-Boigny Peace Prize to Yitzhak Rabin Shimon Peres Yasser Arafat Prime Minister Minister of Foreign Affairs President of the Palestine of the State of Israel of the State of Israel Liberation Organization United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

2 All my life, I have been guided by but one ideal: the ideal of universal fraternity.. There is no problem in the world, however difficult and knotty, that cannot be solved through negotiation. Felix Houphout;t-Boigny, Tel Aviv, July 1962

3 Paris, 6 July 1994 Ceremony for the award of the 1993 F&x Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize to Yitzhak Rabin Prime Minister of the State of Israel Shimon Peres Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel Yasser Arafat President of the Palestine Liberation Organization United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

4 On their arrival at UNESCO Headquarters, the President of the Republic of CBte d lvoire and Ms Henri Konan BPdiP are welcomed by the Director-General and Ms Federico Mayor.

5 Foreword The news of the signing of the Peace Agreement between Israelis and Palestinians on 13 September 1993 caused immense joy throughout the world and ushered in a new era in relations between the two peoples. By agreeing to put an end to the bloody conflict in which, for half a century, the sons of one and the same land had been locked, Israeli and Palestinian leaders turned a page in their country s history and opened the way to a future of peace and progress in the Middle East. Peace, said President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, is not a mere word but a way of behaving. This way of behaving is the one that Mr Yitzhak Rabin, Mr Shimon Peres and Mr Yasser Arafat adopted by showing that they were capable of transcending distrust and hatred and rejecting the inevitability of war. Through their courage and clear-sightedness, they have managed to create the conditions for brotherhood between two peoples whom nothing should have separated. They have thus taken their place among those exceptional men and women who have marked the history of mankind by their contribution to peace and international understanding. This shows that the 1993 Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize could not have gone to more deserving winners than those whom the Jury chose to honour this year. The presence of Mr Yitzhak Rabin, Mr Shimon Peres and Mr Yasser Arafat together on the podium at UNESCO to receive the congratulations and good wishes of the international community is both a reason for rejoicing and pride for the Organization and a striking illustration of its mission to construct the defences of peace in the minds of men. 5 Federico Mayor

6 6 Having been welcomed by the Director-General, Mr Federico Mayor, on his arrival at UNESCO Headquarters, Dr Henry A. Kissinger, President of the International Jury, proceeds to the Hall of Ceremonies, accompanied by Mr Alioune Traor;, Executive Secretary for the Prize. --

7 Announcement of the decision of the International Jury awarding the 1993 F&x Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize We have concluded that this year, naturally, the most dramatic and important event has been the agreement between the Palestinians and Israel, and our Committee has therefore awarded the 1993 Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and to Foreign Minister Shimon Peres on the Israeli side, and to Chairman Yasser Arafat for the Palestine Liberation Organization, and we shall invite to the Award Ceremony, as a special honoured guest, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Johan Jorgen Holst, as an appreciation of the services he rendered in the cause of peace. Henry A. Kissinger Paris, 17 September 19% 7

8 Mr Yasrer Arafat, President of the Palestine Liberation Orgnnization is welcomed on his arrival at UNESCO Headquarters by the Director-General.

9 Mr Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Mr Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr Eliezer Palmor, Ambassador of the State of Israel to UNESCO are welcomed at the entrance of UNESCO Headquarters by Ms Attiya Inayatullah, Chairperson of the Executive Board.

10 Mr Yitzhak Rabin signs UNESCO s Visitors Book, in the company of Mr Ahmed Saleh Sayyad, Chairman of the General Conference, Mr Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO, and Mr Solomon Ha& Director of the Executive Office. - 1.O In his turn, Mr Shimon Peres,lgns UNESCO s Visitors Book.

11 Mr Yassev Arafat appends hi5 signature to UNESCO s Visitors Book. 11

12 While Ms Attiya Inayatullah, Chairperson of the Executive Board, looks on attentively, Mr M&-to Soares, President of the Portuguese Republic, member of the F&x Houphou&Boigny Peace Prize Jury, signs UNESCO s Visitors Book. In their turn, the guests of honour invited by the Director-General sign UNESCO 5 Visitors Book: Mr Hem-i Konan Bidi&, President of the Republic of C&e d lvoire,

13 Ms Tansu Ciller, Pvwne Minister of the Republic of Turkey, Mr Habib Thiam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal.

14 An overall view of the Hall of Ceremonies, at the signature of UNESCO 5 Visitors Book. From right to left can be seen: MY Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO, Ms Tansu Ciller, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, MY Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Dr Henry A. Kissinger, President of the International Jury, Mr Mohammed Salem Ould Eekhal, Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, MY Alioune Traore, Executive Secretary for the Prize. 14 Mr Yasser Arafat, with MY Federico Mayor and Ms Tansu Ciller on his right, and Mr Shimon Peres and MY Henri Konan BPdiP on his left.

15 Award Ceremony of the 1993 Filix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize UNESCO Room I 6 July 1994 Tribute to President Felix Houphouet-Boigny. Opening ceremony concert. Welcoming address by the Director-General. Addresses by the Heads of State and government. Address by the President of the Jury. Conferral of the Prize. Recital by Ms Montserrat Caballt. Addresses by Mr Yitzhak Rabin, Mr Shimon Peres and Mr Yasser Arafat. Closing ceremony concert by Israeli and Palestinian musical groups. 15 UNESCO s choir Les Voix Unies and the orchestra directed by MY Jorge Lozano Corres play the The Deum K.V. 141 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

16 Tribute to President F&x HouphouCt-Boigny The Award Ceremony was preceded by the paying of a solemn tribute by UNESCO and the Jury to President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who died on 7 December 1993 in Yamoussoukro, his native village. This tribute, with which were associated the guests of honour invited by the Director-General, including President Henri Konan BCdiC, the whole Ivorian government, and the members of the Political Bureau of PDCI-RDA, the independence party created in 1946 by Felix Houphouet-Boigny, took the following form: Announcement by the Executive Secretary of the Prize, 16 Projection of a film in memory of President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Tribute by the Director-General, A minute s silence. It should be stressed that numerous friends of President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, including members of the French government, notably Mr Alain Juppe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ms Lucette Michaux-Chevry, Minister of State for Humanitarian Action and Human Rights, made a point to honour this tribute by their presence.

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18 Opening of the tribute to President Filix Houphouet-Boigny by Mr Alioune Traori Executive Secretary for the Felix HouphoCt-Boigny Peace Prize Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 18 In a moment, the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Federico Mayor will pay tribute to the late President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, a legendary and symbolic figure from the African continent. You will first be shown a two-minute film, in which you will hear President Felix Houphouet-Boigny s warm and reassuring voice in a statement he made at the Yamoussoukro Symposium in This Symposium commemorated the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the most important African liberation movement, the RDA, of which he was the distinguished founder. President Felix Houphouet-Boigny s words, delivered in French, will be translated into UNESCO s six working languages and into Hebrew. Thank you. Film reproducing the statement by President Felix Houphout;t-Boigny at the Yamoussoukro Symposium: We won the political battle. We are fighting the economic battle. It is hard, but we are already enlisting for the true battle, the one that God has preached throughout the world since its creation, the battle for peace promised to men of goodwill, to all men. I told you the other day that I have a purpose in mind for the Foundation bearing my name. I want you to give it not just an Ivorian dimension, on the scale of my modest person. Be more ambitious, as we were in 1944, in 1945, in 1946 when we founded the RDA. Give it an international dimension. Ask all researchers, ask even Nobel Peace Prize winners to come and meet here to search for the means to attain peace. Our combat is not over. It will never be over. The real combat, the combat for peace, is still going on.

19 Tribute from Mr Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO to President F&x Houphouet-Boigny On 7 December 1993, President Felix Houphouet-Boigny died. UNESCO then lost one illustrious champion of its noble ideals. The Sage of Africa was a model among those great men who have been able to imprint on politics the virtues of dialogue, perseverance and courage. I have expressed elsewhere the grief I felt at the loss of such a friend, a man who had struggled all his life for justice and tolerance and who, for more than thirty years, had personified his country, C&e d Ivoire, and Africa on the international scene. Felix Houphouet-Boigny was one of those exceptional men who make history. The example he gave to the world of what the will for peace can do when applied to relations between peoples and between nations inspired in me, in 1989, the project, which was enthusiastically adopted by the General Conference, to create a UNESCO prize bearing his name for the safeguarding, maintaining and seeking of peace. The Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize, since its inception, has perpetuated the example and the memory of the Sage of Africa. Those to whom the Prize has been awarded, Nelson Mandela and Frederik De Klerk in 1991, The Hague Academy of International Law in 1992, Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat in 1993, are vivid illustrations of the philosophy it represents. Felix Houphouet-Boigny had made of the search for peace the source of inspiration of his thoughts and the aim of his action both inside and outside his country. His name will remain amongst us as a symbol of the unrelenting quest for greater solidarity and greater fraternity between men. In his memory, I ask you to stand up and observe a minute s silence. 19 The minute s silence was observed, standing, by all those present, deeply moved.

20 From left to right on the podium can be seen, in the front row: Ms Tansu Ciller, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, Mr Habib Thiam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal, Mr Mario Soares, President of the Portuguese Republic, member of the Jury, Mr Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Mr Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Mr Henri Konan Bed%, President of the Republic of C&e d lvoire, Mr Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, Dr Henry A. Kissinger, President of the International Jury; in the second ro?w: Professor Iba Der Thiam, former Minister and Senegalese member of Parliament, member of the Jury, Mr Misael Pastrana Borrero, former President of the Republic of Colombia, Vice-President of the Jury, Mr Mohammed Bedjaoui, President of the International Court of Justice, member of the Jury, Mr Alioune Traore, Executive Secretary for the Prize.

21 Address by Mr Federico Mayor Director-General of UNESCO Mr President of the Republic of C&e d Ivoire, Mr President of the Portuguese Republic, Madam Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, Mr Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal, Distinguished Prize-winners, Mr President and members of the Jury, Mr President of the General Conference, Madam Chairperson of the Executive Board, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a great pleasure for me to welcome to UNESCO today so many eminent persons who have come to celebrate with us the presentation of the 1993 Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize to the three prizewinners who, in the eyes of the whole world, symbolize the return of peace to the Middle East - Mr Yitzhak Rabin, Mr Shimon Peres and Mr Yasser Arafat. I would like first to greet Mr Henri Konan BidiP, President of the Republic of C&e d Ivoire, who has come to demonstrate his attachment to the enduring nature of the Felix Houphouet- Boigny Peace Prize and to the ideals pursued by UNESCO. I should like to greet Mr Mario Soares, President of the Portuguese Republic and a member of some months standing of the international jury for this Prize, to which he has kindly lent the support of his great competence and of his vast experience in the search for peace. I also wish to greet Ms Tansu Ciller, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, whose presence demonstrates the great importance that her country attaches to the peace process in the Middle East. I should like also to greet Mr Habib Thiam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal, who has come to bring the congratulations of the Senegalese Government and nation to the three prize-winners. I am also happy to welcome Mr Mohammed Salem Ould Lekhal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania, representing the Head of the Mauritanian State, Mr Alla1 Sinaceur, Minister of Culture of Morocco, representing His Majesty King Hassan II, and Mr Ambassador Fedotov, representing the President of the Russian Federation, Mr Boris Yeltsin. Finally, I would like to thank the President of the General Conference, Mr Ahmed Saleh Sayyad, and the Chairperson of the Executive Board, Ms Attiya Inayatullah, for coming to take part in this ceremony. 21

22 Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Rarely has UNESCO had greater reason for rejoicing. In this House, which is that of concord and fraternity between men, we welcome with great feeling these three illustrious prize-winners who have managed, by their clarity of vision, courage and determination, to ensure that the path of peace will prevail. When on I3 September 1993, after half a century of conflicts, the world learnt that the Washington agreements had been signed, immense hope arose everywhere, hope for the dawning of peace in the Middle East. Since then, by a path that has undeniably been narrow, tortuous and difficult, this hope has been turning into a reality. We appreciate the importance of this historical event as well as the extraordinary inner power of the men who made it happen. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 22 My thoughts turn on this occasion to the ceremony held here two years ago at which Mr Nelson Mandela and Mr Frederik De Klerk received together the 1991 Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize in recognition of their efforts to bring into being a democratic and united South Africa. Since that memorable date of 3 February 1992, dialogue, courage and reason have prevailed and South Africa has embarked on the great adventure of reconciling its differences in peace and justice. On behalf of UNESCO, I congratulate this year s three prize-winners on having laid the foundations of peace in their countries and wish their courageous enterprise the same success as that which has attended the efforts of Nelson Mandela and Frederik De Klerk in South Africa. I should add that, if this prize is a tribute to the exemplary initiative of three outstanding leaders, it may also be seen as an encouragement to the communities they represent to take up the chalenge of peace. For, as UNESCO s Constitution affirms, a secure peace is one that is rooted in the hearts and minds of men and women who are prepared to accept its difficult accommodations, to cultivate tolerance and to accord to others those basic rights they claim for themselves. I do not doubt that the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, drawing on rich traditions of civilization to overcome long and deep divisions, will prove equal to this historic challenge. In doing so, they will be making a major contribution to peace worldwide. Soon it will be the time for us to plant olive trees on our borders. The memory of the future will prevail over the memory of the past. And in our diversity we shall follow the same paths: from a culture of war we shall move to a culture of peace - to be lived by our children and our children s children.

23 Message from President Mr Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation Read out by H. E. Mr Mikhad Fedotov Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation to UNESCO Honorable Heads of State and Government, Dear Laureates, Mr Director-General, Ladies and Gentlemen, The President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin, has vested in me the mission of transmitting his greetings addressed to the honorable laureates of the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize. I am happy to be able to read it to you here. All greetings from the President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin to the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Mr Yitzhak Rabin, to the Minister of Foreign Aff airs of the State of Israel, Mr Shimon Peres, to the President of the Executive Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization, President Yasser Arafat. Dear Laureates, Having no possibility to be personally present at this award ceremony of the presentation of the Fe lix Houphoul;t-Boigny Peace Prize, I would like to convey to you this message: It is symbolic that this Prize is instituted and granted on the premises of UNESCO, the Organization belonging to the system of the United Nations that brings home the idea of safeguarding peace to people s minds, that promotes the transition from the culture of war to the culture of peace. Let me convey to you my sincere congratulations and wish that your uninterrupted noble efforts in laying down the foundations of stable peace and security in the Near-East will continue. I am convinced that your political wisdom and good will, with the tangible support of the international community, will transform the Near East, the peoples of which are tired of confrontation, into a zone of stability, security, good neighbourship and cooperation. The Russian Federation will do everything within its possibilities to contribute to it. Boris Yeltsin, Moscow, Kremlin, I would like to seize the opportunity and congratulate wholeheartedly 6 July 1994 the honorable laureates. Let your search of peace always culminate in positive achievements. Thank you. 23

24 A vie-w of the room -where, in the front TOW, Ms Henvz Konan BPdiP can be seen with H. R. H. Princess Abir Toussoun, honorary President of Palestine Avenir to her right, and by Ms Federico Mayor to her left.

25 Message from His Majesty Hassan II King of Morocco Read out by Mr Alla1 Sinacew Minister of Cultural Affairs Mr President, Mr Director-General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, His Majesty Hassan II, King of Morocco, has asked me to offer his congratulations to UNESCO and to the recipients of the FClix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize in the following message : UNESCO has assembled today an Areopagus of eminent jigures and leaders for the presentation of the Felix Houphout;t-Boigny Peace Prize. In Our view this is the best tribute that could be paid to this great African who devoted his life to the building of security and peace in his country, in Africa and in the whole world. The name of this sage, as he was rightly called, evokes nothing but peace and development for peace. May he serve as an example on this path which is so arduous but leads in the end to real glory, the glory of peace and concord between peoples and between generations! We extend Our congratulations to UNESCO for the organization of this Prize, which will help consolidate Israelo- Palestinian peace and, We hope, contribute to the establishment of that atmosphere of trust required for sustainable peace and development. To the prize-winners We address Our sincerest wishes of success on their long path to peace, and for the happiness of all the peoples of the region. 25

26 Address by Ms Tansu Ciller Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey Mr Director-General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 26 It is indeed an honour and a pleasure to be here today. I would like to thank the Director-General of UNESCO for this very distinguished invitation. We thank him especially for recognizing our country s commitment to the cause of peace in the Middle East and in the world as a whole. This year s ceremony is one accompanied both by joy and sorrow. A year ago, no one here today could have foreseen the astonishing progress towards peace in the Middle East, but as we celebrate we also mourn the loss last year of the great statesman whose name this Prize proudly bears: President Felix Houphouet-Boigny. He was one of the truly great figures of our time. His advocacy of peace and dialogue has reached out and influenced the whole world. He had a vision for mankind. It is enshrined in the unforgettable words of UNESCO s Constitution: Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed. The award named after him carries his vision forward. The brief history of this award shows clearly that some of the greatest victories are being won by the peacemakers. For above all us, Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres are men who had vision, the courage and wisdom to do what many people used to think was unthinkable. This springs from vision. They have brought peaceful coexistence to a land which seemed destined to be tormented by war and hatred for many generations. Thanks to their resolution and above all to their vision, a new order is in the making in the Middle East. This order contrasts dramatically with the previous pattern of history in the Middle East. Turkey is a friend and a neighbour of the Arabs and the Israelis. It has historical ties with both Arabs and the Jews which sets back for centuries. We have always believed that peace could be achieved in the Middle East. For over a decade, both the Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Israel have had official missions in Ankara. We always advocated dialogue and tolerance in the disputes between the Arabs and the Israelis. There is no other way to real peace.

27 The three leaders who are with us today are men who understand that the worst thing to fear is the fear itself. Fear more than anything else forces and prolongs conflict. The three leaders have decided to give farewell to fear and welcome peace. They have recognized that their peoples are really brothers. They know that they share a common destiny. The Middle East is the fountain from which three great religions have sprung. In culture, science, economics and arts, it has immeasurably enriched the world as a whole. The Middle East has also immense natural resources. Yet, its peoples are those who until now have least enjoyed the fruits of its resources. The three leaders who are being honoured here today have decided to reverse the tide of history. They have taken a giant step. By doing so, they are changing the course of lives of people in many generations yet to come. I pray that other leaders will be inspired by the example of Israel and the Palestinians in the Balkans, in Somalia, in the Caucasus and in Rwanda. It may be difficult to take that first step forward towards peace and trust. However, it is essential for the future of humanity that its leaders do not miss these opportunities. All of the three religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - which have sprung from the Middle East preach peace and understanding. Is it too much to expect that the birthplace of three religions will some day become the house of peace? Is it too much to expect that men and women of different religions and different ethnic backgrounds will be able to live side by side in peace and cooperation? Let us reply loudly and clearly: no, it is not too much to expect. The proof of the claim is here today, in the three leaders who have answered history s summons to make peace. Few achievements have ever been more notable than theirs. My countrymen offer their sincere congratulations to the three leaders being honoured today. They have achieved a heroic first step. There is still much work to be done to establish a new and successful order in the Middle East. That work will be long and difficult. My country pledges its full support to assist in the building of peace and prosperity in the Middle East. I think we must all learn from these three brave men. We must learn so that we meet the challenge of the next decade, so that we do not build new walls between different cultures and religions and ethnic backgrounds, so that we look at them as our richness. That will be the challenge of the next decade and in that spirit, I extend my love to all of you. Thank you. 27

28 28 A view of the loom during the Ceremony, which was attended by the Ambassadors, Permanent Delegates to UNESCO, numerous members of the diplomatic corps, the distinguished guests invited by the Director-General and representatives from the religious, intellectual and artistic communities.

29 Message from Mr Abdou Diouf President of the Republic of Senegal Read out by Mr Habib Thiam Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal Distinguished Presidents, Madam Prime Minister, Distinguished Ministers, Distinguished Members of the International Jury, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Head of State of the Republic of Senegal, President Abdou Diouf, whom so many bonds of friendship and affection united to President Houphouet-Boigny, expresses to you his deepest regrets for not being able to be here to-day with you and asked me to read to you the following message: I am proud, and at the same time moved, to associate myself through this message with the ceremony for the presentation of the Fe lix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize for For I am conscious of both the void created by the loss of our doyen and the distance covered by the three prize-winners. In February 1992, when the Prize was awarded to Mr Nelson Mandela and Mr Frederik De Klerk, I was present at that first ceremony, at the request of President Fe lix Houphoul;t- Boigny. On that occasion I expressed, on behalf of the African continent, all the hopes raised by the quickly changing political situation in South Africa, and the wish that the process under way would lead to a more democratic, more united and more fraternal society in that country. How can one not draw a parallel between the previous winners and those of today? The same will for dialogue that put an end to apartheid in South Af rica led to the signing of the Washington Agreement between Israelis and Palestinians on 13 September In situations which weye very diff event but which both involved long and bloody conflicts, courageous leaders rejected the inevitability of violence, opened negotiations to reach an agreement and together found a way to peace, forgiveness and fellowship. Nothing could have brought President F&x Houpbout;t-Boigny more joy than the announcement of this long-awaited news. 29

30 Ladies and Gentlemen, 30 The passing away of President Houpbouet-Boigny represented a great loss to his country, and also to the African continent and to everyone attached to peace and justice. Fe lix Houphout;t-Boigny was one of those exceptional people wbo acquire historic status during their lifetime, symbolizing through their actions what is jinert, greatest and noblest in the universal conscience. The role be played in the regaining of dignity by Africans through the abolition of forced labour, his courageous decision in 1946 to found the greatest emancipation movement in Black Africa, the Rassemblement De mocratique Africain (RDA), and his action as a builder of modernity, symbolizing the unity and national consciousness of his country, have made him a historical reference and a model for present and future generations. A sage among sages, tireless advocate of peace in the terms of the UNESCO General Conference resolution (2jC/Resolution 23) instituting the prize bearing his name, Fe lix Houpbout;t-Boigny made dialogue, compromise and the securing of peace in C6te d lvoire, Africa and the world his major political objectives. So it is only natural that, in the name of the Senegalese people as a whole, I should pay my last respects to the memory of our illustrious doyen. Lastly, I should like to convey to the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Federico Mayor, the congratulations of my government on the setting up of a UNESCO prize bearing the name of President Fe lix Houpbouet-Boigny and its able administration. Just af ter the Second World WaG when the founding fathers of UNESCO drew up its Constitution, they placed contributing to the maintenance of peace and security foremost among the Organization s fundamental missions. All the activities it has undertaken since that time tend in that direction and towards this ultimate end. Here, then, the arcbitects of peace can feel at home wben they come to receive the rewards of their efforts and the congratulations of the international community. For nearly JO years Israelis and Palestinians bad been confronting one another with their antagonistic claims over the same land. The positions of the adversaries were further hardened by armed conflicts. Remarkable clear-sigbtedness and uncommon political courage were required on the part of the Israeli and Palestinian leaders for them to decide together to go to the root of the problem, to re-examine the causes of the conflict and to draw conclusions wbicb not so long ago would have been regarded as unrealistic. The way is narrow and rugged as yet and it needs much smoothing. But it leads to peace and that is the essential thing.

31 So I wanted to tell you prize-winners once again bow much the international community hopes of you. What matters now is to reconstruct a peaceful and fraternal community, to forget past injuries and to steer a common course in the future. Senegal is hoping and praying for this. The prize you are to receive today sets Ibe seal on your past efforts and is an encouragement to future progress. The distinguished international jury presided over by Dr Henry A. Kissinger could not have made a better choice than the one which brings you together on this platform today. Mr Yitzbak Rabin, Mr Sbimon Peres and Mr Yasser Arafat, thanks to you, a long period of peace and prosperity is opening up in the Middle East, of that I am sure. Please accept the expression of our gratitude for this. Among the guests of honour can be seen prominent French personalities, including Mr Alain Jupp6, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ms Lucette Michaux-Chewy, Minister of State for Humanitarian Action and Human Rights. 31

32 Address by Mr Henri Konan Bidi President of the Republic of C6te d lvoire Distinguished Presidents, Distinguished Heads of Government, Mr Director-General, Mr President and Distinguished Members of the Jury, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 32 I am deeply moved as I address you from this platform where, only a year ago, our late lamented President, President Felix Houphouet- Boigny, aware that he was very ill, chose to make his last appearance in public and to deliver from this very place his last political and philosophical message. Though physically absent from today s ceremony, he remains present in all our memories. The signing of the Washington Agreement between our Palestinian and Israeli brothers afforded him the last moment of happiness of his life - a life devoted to the cause of peace and human fellowship. You will allow me to pay a solemn tribute to his mem- ory and his work. First President of CGte d Ivoire, father of our indepen- dence, builder of our State, symbol and bond of our national unity, Felix Houphouet-Boigny bequeathed to us Ivorians an invaluable capital of trust and friendship. He is irreplaceable and we are forever orphaned. No one can replace Houphouet, the Sage of Africa. One can only follow him as a disciple and try to emulate him. True to his example, my government bases itself on the principles and values which were his. Dialogue, consultation and negotiation with all will continue to underpin our domestic policy and our foreign policy. The strengthening of democracy and justice, respect for human rights and the defence of freedom will remain priorities and underlie our action. President Houphouet-Boigny had always foreseen that peace would only be restored in the Middle East and in South Africa through dialogue, not by force. Back in 1962, on a State visit to Tel Aviv, Felix Houphouet-Boigny said to his Israeli hosts: We do not think there is any problem in the world, no matter how difficult or intractable, that cannot be settled through negotiation. Dialogue finally won the day and, after signing an agreement which turned a page in the history of the Middle East, you are here, Mr Yitzhak

33 Your Excellencies, Rabin, Mr Shimon Peres and Mr Yasser Arafat, to receive one of the most prestigious international awards, an award earned by your efforts to restore peace in that vital part of the world. The signing of the Washington Agreement on I3 September 19% raised tremendous hopes all over the world - the hope of seeing peace of heart and peace of mind established between Arabs and Jews, between Israelis and Palestinians, the hope of putting an end to a conflict that had gone on for half a century, and finally the hope of making our spiritual birthplace, the Middle East, a land of democracy, a world centre of economic and social development, a haven of peace, solidarity and human fellowship. Mr President Yasser Arafat, you symbolize the hope of a whole people, whose right to a land of their own, to a country, was not only recognized but confirmed by the Washington Agreement. Mr Yitzhak Rabin, today you symbolize courage and clear-sightedness in the eyes of the whole world, for without your personal action and political courage there would be no dialogue with our Palestinian brothers. Mr Shimon Peres, for your part, we subscribe to the tribute paid to you by Mr Bassam Abou Sharif, one of President Arafat s closest collaborators, who said, We feel admiration for you, for your clear vision of the future, for your ability to grasp what is new in the world and for your authentic ideas on the creation of a new Middle East. Ladies and Gentlemen, 33 Allow me to express my gratitude to the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Federico Mayor, and my admiration, for the instituting of this prize and for its perfect administration by the Executive Secretariat he set up for that purpose. I should also like to congratulate the International Jury and its President, Dr Henry A. Kissinger, and thank them for their judicious decisions, which have enabled the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Prize to take a prominent place among the world s greatest awards. When in 1989, Mr Director-General, you proposed establishing a Felix Houphouet-Boigny Prize for peace - a project warmly welcomed and unanimously adopted by the UNESCO General Conference- you wanted by this symbolic gesture to pay a solemn tribute to the Sage of Africa, the man who devoted his life to the defence of the ideals of peace, fellowship and justice. I have served only love, friendship and fraternity, I can therefore pass away. The good seed has been sown, C&e d Ivoire will always be a peaceful and fraternal country, President Felix Houphouet- Boigny used to say. So the Ivorian people, bearing this in mind, are anxious to confirm through me their constant attachment to the Felix

34 34 Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize, to UNESCO, and to those great ideals of nobility and humanism. It is an understatement to say that President Felix Houphouet-Boigny would have rejoiced to see you prize-winners together on this platform today. He would have seen in this longawaited event the promise of a new era in the history of the relations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the celebration of an entente for which he had always hoped and prayed, the finest illustration of the ideals honoured and rewarded by the UNESCO Prize bearing his name. This joy is shared by all friends of peace, including myself. In this solemn moment, when a new era is dawning, I join my fervent hopes to the hopes of all those who wish for reconciliation, peace and concord in the Middle East between peoples who have contributed so much to the progress of humanity. Thank you very much.

35 Address by Mr M&-i0 Soares President of the Portuguese Republic Distinguished Presidents, Distinguished Prime Ministers of Turkey and Senegal, Mr Director-General of UNESCO, Illustrious Prize-winners, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a great pleasure for me to be here today to participate for the second time in the ceremony for the presentation of the Houphouet- Boigny Peace Prize, which this year rightly distinguishes the three great architects of the peace process in the Middle East, my dear friends, the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr Yitzhak Rabin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Shimon Peres, and President Yasser Arafat. Before acclaiming the illustrious prize-winners, however, I should like first to pay tribute, be it briefly, to the memory of the late President Houphouet-Boigny. Great African leader, he has throughout our age fought, in various situations and as Head of State, for the noble ideal which brings us here today - peace. His political activity was directed very early to the liberation and self-determination of the African peoples and, subsequently, the leadership of CBte d Ivoire, in a climate of stability which made him realize that peace is bound up with the development of peoples. Without peace there is in fact no stability, freedom or justice, and even progress and development are impossible to attain. This is what Houphouet-Boigny would call, with rare insight, the indivisibility of peace. That is the message conveyed today by the 1993 Houphouet-Boigny Prize. These three great men - in the same way as the 1991 prize-winners, Mandela and De Klerk - with a long-term view of the future, were able to distinguish with uncommon courage between the essential and the incidental, and understood that only dialogue and negotiation, absolute open-mindedness and tolerance, serve the true interests of peoples. And that it is only through them that genuine peace - peace won and accepted in the mind - can be attained. The entering of Jericho by President Arafat this week marked the conclusion of one of the most important stages in the application of the Middle East Peace Agreement. There will now have to be combined efforts to launch, on a sound basis, the development of a region which for decades has known nothing but war and violence. 35

36 Our solidarity will be our response and our contribution to the consolidation of this salient turning point in history marked by the Peace Agreement, whose success represents a hope for the troubled world in which we live and at the same time a decisive stage in the unremitting struggle for peace. In conclusion I should like to pay tribute to the United Nations, and to UNESCO in particular in the person of its eminent Director-General, my dear friend, Federico Mayor, for the contribution they have made, and will undoubtedly continue to make, in this context to development and peace. Many spectators bad taken seats on the balcony, to listen to the speeches. 36

37 Address by Dr Henry A. Kissinger President of the International Jury of the Fe lix Houphouk t-boigny Peace Prize Distinguished Presidents, Distinguished Prime Ministers, Mr Director-General, Distinguished Prize-winners, Ladies and Gentlemen, No region has produced more dramatic personalities and exalted visions than the Middle East. Its deserts punctuated by oases and stark mountains have been the origin of three of the world s great religions. Geography sets no bounds to the human imagination. Man is sustained above all by faith and the intangibles of human relationships. It has been an arena for prophets and for heroes. The line from what the rest considers empirical reality to passionate rhetoric and the policy of exaltation is easily crossed. In this cauldron, the conflict between Arabs and Israelis, and especially between Palestinians and Israelis, has festered for the better part of this century. At first, Zionism and Arab nationalism, both products of the indignities suffered by their people, were not directed against each other. Only when the Ottoman empire was replaced by the British mandate, and self-determination for Palestine came into view, did the Arab and Jewish peoples clash over the content and meaning of their truths. Having some experience with persecution in my youth, I have always felt for the Jewish yearning for a homeland, and our Israeli honourees have been valued friends of many decades. But as a historian, I can also understand that the territory whose mystique survived in Jewish hearts for two thousand years is unlikely to lose its hold over Palestinian hearts after but half a century. In this spirit, I welcome Chairman Yasser Arafat, with whom I have been unable to communicate these many years, though it is safe to say we were not unaware of each other s activities. The vast heroic task before our honourees is to convert this shared dedication to the land of Palestine from a source of division into the impetus of reconciliation. In the past, the conflict was intractable and the Cold War froze the stalemate without easing the passions. But it is the historic achievement of our honourees that they overrode, for this hopeful moment, the verities of distrust and fear of a generation of Israelis and Palestinians and that they have sketched a road-map towards peace which, if successful, will dwarf all previous achievements. The 37

38 r Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement, important as it was, provided for a buffer zone between the previous enemies. Yet, in Palestine, no buffer zones are conceivable. The parties are obliged to live together. Conflict has been their history. Coexistence and ultimately cooperation - we fervently hope - shall be their destiny. Not enough tribute can be paid to Johan Holst, Foreign Minister of Norway, who facilitated the breakthrough and who is deeply missed. But the final credit must go to our honourees, Yitzhak Rabin, Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres. They have made a leap of faith measured in the pain they must sometimes feel at the opposition they encounter from comrades in many previous battles. Nor can they themselves be totally free of the doubts that assailed not a few on both sides: is this agreement a genuine commitment or a tactic in a continuing struggle? Was it produced by exhaustion or by conviction? The members of the Jury over which I had the honour to preside were only too aware of these ambiguities. But as we did when we awarded the Prize to Nelson Mandela and to De Klerk before they had completed their historic agreement three years ago, we chose to express our faith in the hopes of our honourees and in the dreams they expressed, not to second thoughts that they may harbour. Too many have died, too many hopes have been blighted for us to do less than to pay tribute to the best possible outcome. And we pay our honourees this expression of our respect and faith that they conclude what they have started so that at the end of the process the peoples of Palestine - Israelis and Palestinians- gain security, dignity and a harmony worthy of the biblical figures that bestrode their land; worthy, above all, of the suffering and faith that has brought all the parties this far and that we expect will inspire them the rest of the way. So, if the Director-General will join me, I would like to award the Prize, the Houphouet-Boigny Prize, named after one of the great leaders of Africa and a close personal friend, to our three distinguished honourees.

39 Historical handshakes are exchanged between yesterday s adversaries, gathered on UNESCO s podium for the sake of peace: Mr Yasser Arafat, Mr Yitzhak Rabin and Mr Shimon Peres, with Dr Henry A. Kissinger, President of the Jury, Mr Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO, initiator and architect of the Fblix HouphouA-Boigny Peace Prize and Mr Alioune Traork, Executive Secretary for the Prize closely watching. -

40 Watched by Mr Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, to applause from Mr Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO, and Dr Henry A. Kissinger, President of the International Jury, and to a standing ovation from everyone in the room, Mr Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Mr Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel exchange a long handshake when receiving their prize.

41 A moment of intense emotion: to an ovation from a11 those present, in front of hundreds of journalists and photographers, and numerous television networks, the three prize-winners are awarded the 1993 F&x Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize. 41

42 42 After the a,ward, the great, world-famous Spanish singer, Ms Montserrat Cabah, sang a melody by Vangelis.

43 Address by Mr Yitzhak Rabin Prime Minister of the State of Israel Mr Director-General, Heads of State, Heads of government, our partner for the Prize, Chairman Arafat, Ladies and Gentlemen, We have come today, from the ends of the earth, the members of many nations, to honor a legendary man: Felix Houphouet-Boigny. Of all the wise words he gave us, in a life rich with deeds and accomplishment I have chosen a single saying: Let us proceed slowly, for we are in a hurry. Ladies and Gentlemen, It is summer here in Paris, and we, on a small patch of land in the Middle East, are entering one of the more decisive stages on the way to reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. This is the stage where we end our dreaming. The time has come now to roll up our sleeves. Let us proceed slowly, said our friend HouphouEt- Boigny, who is sorely missed here today and whose statesmanly wisdom we so thoroughly miss. And we, indeed, have been proceeding along slowly. For over a hundred years, we have fought over the same strip of land: the country in which we, the sons of Abraham, have been fated to live together. Both peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, have known suffering, pain, and bereavement. Now the fanfares and festivals are over. Now the vapors of euphoria are slowly settling into grains of dust, and the echoes of celebration are being scattered by the hot southern wind. Now that the flags have been folded, the trumpets silenced, the stages dismantled - now, the more difficult, more dangerous part has come. And both sides must calculate their steps slowly, with prudence and care. For a century of hatred does not dissolve suddenly, with a handshake in Washington. All the bloodshed can t be covered by the beating of drums. Peace will be built slowly, day by day, through modest deeds, and countless spontaneous details. It will be built, step by step, by people. 43

44 44 From now on, the making of peace is not a matter for spotlights, for elegant halls, and ball gowns. From now on, the baking sun in Jericho and Na Ama, in Khan Yunis and Netzer Hazani, will replace the spotlights in Washington, Cairo and Paris. The handshakes on the lawn in Washington, the stage in Cairo, and here in Paris must be repeated by the residents of Gaza and Ashkelon, of Jericho and Ma ale Adumim. What we have acknowledged here in this beautiful setting in Paris, must be transferred to the markets in Gaza, where Israelis will buy fruit from Palestinian vendors. Peace will be tasted in the Palestinian coffee poured into the cups of Israeli friends. It will be heard in the applause of Israeli audiences for the performance of a Palestinian theater troupe, and in the jeers of the rival soccer fans when Khan Yunis plays against Tel Aviv. Peace will be seen when an Israeli driver yields the right of way to his Palestinian counterpart - and vice versa; when a Palestinian policeman gives a ticket to an Israeli driver - and the other way around. Peace lies in the grin of an Israeli doctor delivering a Palestinian newborn, and in the smile of a Palestinian lifeguard toward Israeli bathers on the beach. That, ladies and gentlemen, is peace. We are going along slowly and cautiously, one step at a time, because the enemies of peace are even more numerous than we imagined. Because extremists on both sides are lying in wait for us, and we -Israelis and Palestinians, alike - must not fail. At every step, we must think, consider, weigh, check, and beware. We are in a hurry because we have waited over a hundred years for this day, in Gaza and Jerusalem, in Jericho and Netanya, in Rafiah and Rosh Pinah. We are in a hurry to spare another Israeli mother weeping tears of pain and another Palestinian mother from shedding bitter sobs. We are in a hurry in order to see a light in the eyes of neighbors who, until now, have never seen a single day of freedom and joy, we are hastening in order to hike, drive, tour and enjoy life in every corner of this land. We are in a hurry, because we have to rebuild our people returning from a hundred countries of exile to Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel and heart of the Jewish people. We are in a hurry so that children can be born into a new world - a world where hostility and war are just dead words, found only in the dictionary. We are in a hurry, ladies and gentlemen - and therefore we are proceeding slowly. We are moving very carefully. For not all of us will have another chance. We know very well, as we stand on this stage - my colleague Shimon Peres and I - that you are not recognizing just us, but