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Tutu nominates DanChurchAid

Foto: Klaus Holsting

Archbishop Tutu gives a personal motivation in his opening remarks on the nomination:

“I have known and worked with DanChurchAid for more than 30 years, it’s work agains apartheid in South Africa and against caste-based discrimination is highly recommendable.

During the dark and difficult years of Apartheid the people of DanChurchAid were true friends to us, fighting alongside us for humanity, justice and freedom,” says Archbishop Tutu.

Archbishop Tutu describes DanChurchAid’s key fields of activity:

• Fighting for democracy in Africa
• Fighting for peace and human rights in ie Central America and Palestine
• Fighting for and with the ‘untouchables’ - the dalits
• Fighting for the victims of the Darfur Crisis
• Coordinating the world’s greatest humanitarian air-lift, Joint Church Aid to Biafra
• Fighting HIV/AIDS
• Providing Humanitarian Mine Action in many countries in Africa, Lebanon and the Balkans

Archbishop Tutu ends his motivation by stating, that “DanChurchAid has a long record of siding with the voiceless people in the world, and being innovative. It also has a record of staying with the people in need for many years.”

Engagement in Eastern Europe

Former Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Uffe Elleman-Jensen, highlights “DanChurchAid’s involvement with oppressed and marginalised people in Eastern Europe during the Cold War and later during the Balkan Wars.

Uffe Elllemann-Jensen specifically mentions DanChurchAid’s work to strengthen democracy and human right for i.e. the Roma population.

DanChurchAid honoured

“It is a great honour for DanChurchAid that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has chosen to nominate us for the Hilton Humanitarian Prize.

We are very proud that Archbishop Tutu by this nomination recognises our work for democracy and human rights, which always have and always will play a central role in the work of DanChurchAid,” says Henrik Stubkjær, Secretary General of DanChurchAid.

	The Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize is the largest humanitarian award in the world. It annually awards $US 1.5 million, equal to one of the six Nobel Prizes. Once, in 2003, the Hilton Humanitarian Prize has been given to a Danish organisation; The Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims.