Vai em inglês mesmo, já que aqui a grande mídia ignora o fato de que Lula receberá hoje nos Estados Unidos mais um premio, desta vez o
In Pursuit of Peace Award Dinner:
Peace, Prosperity and the Presidency
New York, NY | 26 Nov 2012
This article is also available in Burmese, Portuguese and Indonesian.
The International Crisis Group will honour President Thein Sein of Myanmar and former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil at its annual In Pursuit of Peace Award Dinner in New York City on 22 April 2013.
Crisis Group’s Award Dinner is an opportunity to celebrate
inspirational figures from government, diplomacy and public policy whose
visionary leadership has transformed the lives of millions and brought
forth the promise of a world free of conflict.
“At a time when so much of the world seems to be headed in the wrong
direction, Myanmar and Brazil stand out as clear examples of presidents
working for a better path for their people”, said Thomas R. Pickering,
Chair of the International Crisis Group.
“Both President Thein Sein and President Lula are worthy recipients
in this regard, having helped Myanmar and Brazil take significant steps
forward and encouraged a greater role for them in promoting regional and
international diplomacy following years of isolation”.
Crisis Group President Louise Arbour said, “Myanmar has initiated a
remarkable and unprecedented set of reforms since President Thein Sein’s
government took over in March 2011, including freeing hundreds of
political prisoners, liberalising the press and promoting dialogue with
the main opposition party”.
Of course, Myanmar still needs to build on this political
liberalisation to date. It must urgently find ways to address communal
violence between the Rakhine and the Rohingya (as Crisis Group noted
back in June and again in a report published earlier this month),
which continues to devastate people’s lives, particularly those in
minority Muslim communities. Still, the country has seen very
significant progress: for the first time in almost fifty years, all but
one of the ethnic armed groups have signed preliminary ceasefires with
the government, and it is hoped that an agreement will also soon be
reached with the Kachin Independence Organisation (read more about Crisis Group's work in Myanmar).
As President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,
known as Lula, propelled his country into a new economic and political
era, taking millions out of poverty. Upon this solid foundation, his
government became a critical regional and world player with a social
agenda and bringing a South-South approach to international cooperation
and global development.
President da Silva offered its regional neighbours a partnership,
making integration a concrete reality. Brazilian diplomacy also helped
its South American neighbours to face their own internal crises.
Brazil’s solidarity towards Africa was also notable with the country
opening 17 new diplomatic missions there during President da Silva’s
government. Brazil also took charge of the peacekeeping operation in
Haiti and the naval part of the UN’s mission in Lebanon.
Lula’s government developed an autonomous diplomacy, in harmony with
the demands of globalisation and its development projects. Variable
alliances enabled the nation to exercise a worldwide presence and deepen
its influence. Brazil’s coalitions, strategic partnerships and new
alliances enabled the country and its partners to fill a power vacuum in
the international field.
Now in its eighth year, Crisis Group’s In Pursuit of Peace Award Dinner
recognises the outstanding accomplishments of individuals working to
prevent and resolve deadly conflict worldwide. Previous recipients of
the awards include: U.S. Presidents William Jefferson Clinton and George
H.W. Bush; Nobel Peace Prize laureates Martti Ahtisaari and Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, and financier and philanthropist George Soros.
