Annan and UN Awarded Nobel Prize for Peace
On 12 October 2001, Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the United Nations were awarded the 100th Nobel Prize for Peace. Speaking to staff1 at UN Headquarters2, Annan said, “All of us who work for the United Nations should be proud today—but also be humbled, humbled because even more will be expected of us in the future.”And he adds:
“This award is a tribute3, above all, to our colleagues who have made the supreme sacrifice4 in the service of humanity. The only true prize, for them and for us, will be peace itself.”
Why the Nobel Prize for Peace
Mr. Annan together with the UN had done the following tasks: to revitalize5 the United Nations through a comprehensive6 programme of reform; to strengthen the Organization's traditional work in the areas of development and the maintenance7 of international peace and security; to encourage and advocate8 human rights, the rule of law and the universal values of equality, tolerance9 and human dignity found in the United Nations Charter; and to restore10 public confidence in the Organization by reaching out to new partners and, in his words, by “bringing the United Nations closer to the people”.
Mr.Annan and the UN have played a good role in several delicate11 political situations. These included
①an attempt12 in 1998 to gain Iraq's compliance13 with Security Council resolutions;
②an attempt in 1998 to help promote the transition14 to civilian rule in Nigeria;
③an agreement in 1999 to resolve a stalemate15 between Libya and the Security Council over the 1988 Lockerbie bombing;
④diplomacy in 1999 to make an international response to violence in East Timor;
⑤the certification16 of Israel's withdrawal17 from Lebanon in September 2000, and further efforts, since the renewed outbreak of violence in September 2000, to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to solve their differences through peaceful negotiations18 based on Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and the principle of “land for peace”.
On the way to UN
Mr. Annan was born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April, 1938. He studied at the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi and completed his undergraduate work in economics at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A., in 1961. From 1961 to 1962, he undertook19 graduate studies in economics at the Institute of Advanced International Study in Geneva. From 1971 to 1972 Mr. Annan received a Master of Science degree in management in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mr.Annan is fluent20 in English, French and several African languages. He is married to Nane Annan, of Sweden, a lawyer and artist who has a great interest in understanding the work of the United Nations in the field. Two issues of particular concern21 to her are HIV/AIDS and education for women. She has also written a book for children about the United Nations. Mr. and Mrs. Annan have three children.
Before being appointed22 Secretary-General, Mr. Annan served as Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations (March 1992—February 1993) and then as Under-Secretary-General (March 1993—December 1996).
Kofi Annan of Ghana is the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations. The first Secretary-General to be elected from the ranks23 of United Nations staff, he began his first term on 1 January 1997. On 29 June 2001, acting on a recommendation24 by the Security Council, the General Assembly appointed him to a second term of office, beginning on 1 January 2002 and ending on 31 December 2006.
Education:key to Peace and Development
Mr. Annan has a strong belief in education. Speaking at the annual meeting of the American Council of Education in 1997, Annan said that the key to economic progress is a skilled worker, the key to social justice is a democratic society and the key to global peace and well-being is education too. And he added:
“Young people need more help than ever in understanding the civil, political and economic environments in which they live, this will prepare them to become responsible adults and citizens. Our aim is to promote a culture...in which education promotes understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups...”
Mr.Annan's Idols
He respects those who have fought against great difficulties in order to defend liberty. He looks up to Nelson Mandela, who went from prisoner to president, because he would never give in to injustice, because he has such qualities as bravery and strong beliefs. Mr. Annan admires Raoul Wallenberg, who as a Swedish diplomat in Budapest, saved the lives of thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Second World War.
Like his role models, Mr.Annan has been making efforts all his life for global peace and understanding. A man who always keeps his words, Mr. Annan sets an example for us to follow.
安南与联合国共获诺贝尔和平奖
2001年10月12日，秘书长科菲·安南和联合国被共同授予第100届诺贝尔和平奖。在对联合国总部职员的讲话中，安南说，“所有为联合国工作的人们今天应该感到自豪——但同时也要谦卑，因为未来还有更多的工作等着我们去做。”他还说道：
“这份奖励最大的意义在于——它是对一切为人类福利做出了巨大牺牲的同仁们的赞赏。对他们和我们而言，惟一的、真正的奖励便是和平本身。”
获奖原因
安南先生担任秘书长以来领导联合国从事了以下主要工作：通过一项全面的改革计划旨在给联合国注入新的活力；加强联合国在促进发展、维护国际和平与安全等领域的传统工作；鼓励和倡导人权、法治以及《联合国宪章》所确立的平等、宽容和人类尊严等普遍价值观；通过发展新的合作伙伴，以及——用他的话说，通过“与人民建立更密切的联系”，以恢复公众对联合国的信心。
安南先生及联合国在处理几起微妙的政治事件中发挥了积极的作用。这些事件包括：
①1998年争取伊拉克接受安理会决议；
②1998年赴尼日利亚帮助该国向文职政府过渡；
③1999年促成利比亚和安理会化解双方在1988年洛克比空难问题上的僵局；
④1999年通过外交活动促使国际社会对东帝汶的流血事件做出反应；
⑤2000年9月确认以色列从黎巴嫩撤军；自2000年9月爆发新的流血冲突以来，进一步敦促以色列人和巴勒斯坦人在安理会第242、338号决议和“以土地换和平”的原则基础上，通过和平谈判解决分歧。
踏上联合国之路
安南先生1938年4月8日出生于加纳的库马西市。他曾就读于库马西理工大学，1961年在美国明尼苏达州圣保罗市的麦卡莱斯特学院读完本科经济学专业。从1961年至1962年，他在日内瓦的高级国际研究院就读经济学研究生。1971至1972年安南先生就读于麻省理工学院，并获管理学硕士学位。
秘书长能流利地使用英语、法语和好几种非洲语言。妻子娜内·安南是来自瑞典的律师和艺术家。她对了解联合国开展的实际工作抱有强烈兴趣。她特别关心的两个问题是艾滋病和妇女教育。她还为儿童撰写了一部有关联合国的书。安南夫妇有三个孩子。
被任命为秘书长之前，安南先生还担任过负责维和行动的助理秘书长（1992年3月至1993年2月）和副秘书长（1993年3月至1996年12月）。
来自加纳的科菲·安南是联合国第七任秘书长。作为首位从联合国职员中选举产生的秘书长，安南的第一个任期始于1997年元月一日。2001年 6月29日，经安理会提名，联大任命他连任秘书长一职，任期从2002年元月一日开始，至2006年12月31日结束。
和平与发展的金钥匙：教育
安南先生对教育推崇备至。在1997年美国教育委员会年会上发言时，安南先生说道：社会进步的支柱是熟练工人，社会公正的关键是民主，而全球和平与繁荣的金钥匙则掌握在教育手中。他进一步补充说道：
“年轻人比以往任何时候都需要帮助，他们需要得到帮助才能了解自己所处的社会、政治与经济环境，这有助于把他们培养成为对社会负责的成人与公民。（因此）我们的目标就是要促成一种文化的形成：形成一种用教育促进各民族、各种族以及所有宗教团体之间相互了解、宽容、情同兄弟的文化……”
安南先生的偶像
安南先生敬仰那些克服重重困难以捍卫自由的人们。他尊敬（南非总统）曼德拉先生，因为不管他是囚犯还是总统，他绝不向不公正势力低头；因为他具备大智大勇、信念坚定等美德。安南先生崇敬劳尔·瓦伦博格——作为一位瑞典驻布达佩斯的外交官，他在二战期间挽救了成千上万的匈牙利籍犹太人的生命。
安南先生像他所崇拜的偶像一样，终身致力于世界和平与人类的相互理解。安南先生言行一致，为我们树立了榜样。
1. staff n．全体职员
2． headquarters n．司令部，总部
3． tribute n．贡品；颂词
4． supreme adj．极大的，至高的 sacrifice [?謖s?覸krifais] n．牺牲，献身
5． revitalize v．使新生，振兴
6． comprehensive adj．全面的，广泛的
7． maintenance n．维护，保养
8． advocate v．提倡，倡导
9． tolerance n．宽容，容忍
10．restore v．恢复
11．delicate adj．微妙的，棘手的
12．attempt n．企图，努力
13．compliance n．顺从
14．transition n．过渡，转换
15．stalemate n．僵局
16．certification n．证明
17．withdrawal n．撤退
18．negotiation n．谈判
19．undertook 为undertake 之过去式，意为“承担”
20．fluent adj．流利的，流畅的
21．concern n．关注（的事）
22．appoint v．任命
23．rank n．行列
24．recommendation n．推荐，建议
25．idol n．偶像