Drums, dancing hail African Nobel laureate Maathai

By: DOUG MELLGREN

OSLO - To the beat of African drums, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai received her Nobel Peace Prize, telling the audience of royals, celebrities and diplomats that protecting the world's resources is linked to halting violence.

"Today, we are faced with a challenge that calls for a shift in our

thinking, so that humanity stops threatening its life-support

system," the first African woman and first environmental activist

to win the peace prize said on Friday.

Maathai (64) warned that the world remained under attack from

disease, deforestation and war.

 

"We are called to assist the Earth to heal her wounds, and in

the process heal our own, indeed, to embrace the whole creation in

all its diversity, beauty and wonder," she told the crowd of

dignitaries.

 

"This will happen if we see the need to revive our sense of

belonging to a larger family of life, with which we have shared our

evolutionary process," said Maathai, who founded the Green Belt

Movement.

 

She received the traditional gold medal and diploma that

accompanies the US$1,5 million prize.

 

Before she took the stage, the usually stodgy ceremony lit up

with colour and sound as three African dancers and accompanying

drummers pounded out a brief piece of African music that echoed off

the walls of the large auditorium.

 

Maathai herself wore a brilliant orange traditional dress with a

matching scarf in her hair.

 

In neighbouring Sweden, the other Nobel prizes - for medicine,

physics, chemistry, literature and economics - were awarded.

 

Bengt Samuelsson, Chairman of the board of the Nobel Foundation,

addressed the frequently heard criticism that too few women have

received the Nobel Prize over the years.

 

While only 31 of the 705 Nobel Prizes handed out since 1901 have

gone to women, Samuelsson pointed out that there were three this

year.

 

Maathai's selection for the peace prize raised eyebrows because

of controversy about statements she reportedly made asserting that

AIDS was created by scientists and loosed upon Africa by the

West.

 

But she told The Associated Press that the comments were

misquoted and taken out of context.

 

"I have not said what I'm quoted as saying," she said of the

claims.

 

In a statement released by the Nobel committee, she underlined

that "I neither say nor believe that the virus was developed by

white people or white powers in order to destroy the African

people. Such views are wicked and destructive."

 

The Nobel Prizes are always presented on December 10, the

anniversary of the death of their creator, Swedish industrialist

Alfred Nobel.

 

The peace prize is presented in Oslo, while the others are

awarded in Stockholm.

 

Last year, the peace prize was given to Iranian human rights

activist Shirin Ebadi.

 

- Nampa-AP

 

Maathai (64) warned that the world remained under attack from

disease, deforestation and war."We are called to assist the Earth

to heal her wounds, and in the process heal our own, indeed, to

embrace the whole creation in all its diversity, beauty and

wonder," she told the crowd of dignitaries."This will happen if we

see the need to revive our sense of belonging to a larger family of

life, with which we have shared our evolutionary process," said

Maathai, who founded the Green Belt Movement.She received the

traditional gold medal and diploma that accompanies the US$1,5

million prize.Before she took the stage, the usually stodgy

ceremony lit up with colour and sound as three African dancers and

accompanying drummers pounded out a brief piece of African music

that echoed off the walls of the large auditorium.Maathai herself

wore a brilliant orange traditional dress with a matching scarf in

her hair.In neighbouring Sweden, the other Nobel prizes - for

medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and economics - were

awarded.Bengt Samuelsson, Chairman of the board of the Nobel

Foundation, addressed the frequently heard criticism that too few

women have received the Nobel Prize over the years.While only 31 of

the 705 Nobel Prizes handed out since 1901 have gone to women,

Samuelsson pointed out that there were three this year.Maathai's

selection for the peace prize raised eyebrows because of

controversy about statements she reportedly made asserting that

AIDS was created by scientists and loosed upon Africa by the

West.But she told The Associated Press that the comments were

misquoted and taken out of context."I have not said what I'm quoted

as saying," she said of the claims.In a statement released by the

Nobel committee, she underlined that "I neither say nor believe

that the virus was developed by white people or white powers in

order to destroy the African people. Such views are wicked and

destructive."The Nobel Prizes are always presented on December 10,

the anniversary of the death of their creator, Swedish

industrialist Alfred Nobel.The peace prize is presented in Oslo,

while the others are awarded in Stockholm.Last year, the peace

prize was given to Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi.-

Nampa-AP

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