The President of Liberia and former AS Monaco nugget receives the Special Peace&Sport Prize
“TEverybody needs peace to survive. As a UNICEF Ambassador, I have seen armed children fighting for their desire for peace. This is what got me to the podium and this award is a symbol of what they have done. Today we have peace in our country thanks to the people of Liberia. This award is his.” Wednesday evening at the Fairmont, the Monegasque NGO Peace&Sport had decided to reward a great lord, George Weah, to mark his fifteen years of existence and actions.
“15 years ago, created a peace-through-sport approach that was lifted from utopia. Today, the recognition of sport as a tool for peace has accelerated and those involved in peace-through-sport are able to to provide concrete solutions to the problems encountered on a daily basis by the actors in the field”, introduced the founding president of Peace&Sport, Joël Bouzou.
“at the time, it was unprecedented and it was far from easy (…) Today you have created a family”rejoiced Prince Albert II, who had launched the initiative in 2007 during a Conference of the Olympic Committee in Beijing.
“Heart Filled with Hope”
First African Ballon d’Or in 1995, AS Monaco legend and, since 2017, President of the Republic of Liberia, George Weah, received a Special Prize recognizing his continued commitment to the service of Peace from the hands of his “am I”Prince Albert II.
The opportunity for “Mister George” to recall his deep attachment to the Principality, citing his “mentor” Arsène Wenger and Dr Jean-Louis Campora who had welcomed him from 1988 to 1992.
“Dear Prince Albert II, I feel as much at home in Monaco as in Liberia.” An affection and encounters that have fueled his desire to commit himself ever more to offer the same chance to young people in his “glorious” country nestled at the western tip of Africa.
“When I arrived in Monaco I was a budding young footballer with a small suitcase containing a pair of boots, a pair of cleats and a shirt, but I had strong determination and a heart full of hope. I wanted to rise to the stars one day…”
Hence this advice from an elder: “Young athletes, don’t be so ambitious that you destroy your dreams before they even begin. Work hard and work to the finish line with honor and dignity because there is no shortcut to get there. at the top in sport, if not the relentless pursuit of excellence, hard work and dedication.”
“Youth is the key”
“Peace is the order of the day”especially recalled the president of Liberia, evoking the memory of the civil war in his country, when only football matches had the power to pause the clashes.
A story evoked by Prince Albert II who, in turn, was translated to the next generation. “I am convinced that the involvement of young people is key. They want to make their voices heard and are clearly ready to act to build a sustainable future. A future of paramount importance”underlined the sovereign, while promising to continue to be personally involved, and in complete neutrality, to make Monaco “a bastion of peace through sport in the world”.
Earlier during this International Forum, Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO, recalled how sport had suffered from the pandemic, when it “reduces the risk of obesity and depression by 30%”, “improve school performance by 40%”and bring “a significant contribution to sustainable development”.