In January I watched, along with the rest of the world, as President Obama, with his message of hope and inspiration, was inaugurated as the first black president of the United States. Earlier this month, I came to the United States to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the president himself. This medal, which I humbly accepted, is for my work to end apartheid and pro
mote peace in South Africa and throughout the world. When I think of how this came to be, how far we have come, I am filled with gratitude. In the past, I have said injustice is not the norm. Poverty is not the norm. War is not the norm. It is one of the most incontrovertible pieces of evidence, that those are the aberrations. We are appalled at war, disaster, violence and humiliation. Because our norm is goodness. Our norm is compassion. Our norm is gentleness. So to receive this prestigious medal for my lifelong work advocating for these ideals is an overwhelming recognition of our common goodness. It is clear that the Obama administration shares a deep concern for the problems facing the people of my continent and those throughout the world, and I applaud the United States for making Africa's future a priority in U.S. foreign policy. In his short presidency, Obama has already traveled to Ghana, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has visited seven countries throughout Africa. The administration is wise to raise the issues of malnutrition, economic growth and governance, for these are critical to the future of Africa. It is also clear that the president recognizes and values the work many of us are doing to alleviate these same issues. That was evident by those of us who were in Washington to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. When I was at the White House, I had two friends by my side, and the president also recognized them. While Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and I were all honored for different reasons -- peace and reconciliation, microcredit innovation and human-rights oversight -- our collective work has the same end goal in mind: To create a world where all people are afforded the opportunity to become productive and healthy members of society.
mote peace in South Africa and throughout the world. When I think of how this came to be, how far we have come, I am filled with gratitude. In the past, I have said injustice is not the norm. Poverty is not the norm. War is not the norm. It is one of the most incontrovertible pieces of evidence, that those are the aberrations. We are appalled at war, disaster, violence and humiliation. Because our norm is goodness. Our norm is compassion. Our norm is gentleness. So to receive this prestigious medal for my lifelong work advocating for these ideals is an overwhelming recognition of our common goodness. It is clear that the Obama administration shares a deep concern for the problems facing the people of my continent and those throughout the world, and I applaud the United States for making Africa's future a priority in U.S. foreign policy. In his short presidency, Obama has already traveled to Ghana, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has visited seven countries throughout Africa. The administration is wise to raise the issues of malnutrition, economic growth and governance, for these are critical to the future of Africa. It is also clear that the president recognizes and values the work many of us are doing to alleviate these same issues. That was evident by those of us who were in Washington to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. When I was at the White House, I had two friends by my side, and the president also recognized them. While Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and I were all honored for different reasons -- peace and reconciliation, microcredit innovation and human-rights oversight -- our collective work has the same end goal in mind: To create a world where all people are afforded the opportunity to become productive and healthy members of society.For further details visit as : http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/1199544.html
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