Welcoming remarks by Mr. Kensaku Hogen
Under-Secretary-General for Communications
And
Public Information
At the Inter Press Service
Special Humanitarian Award Ceremony
Honouring Ms. Emma Bonino,
United Nations, New York
Tuesday, 25 January 2000


It is a great pleasure for me to welcome so many distinguished visitors and friends to this special occasion.

Tonight, Inter Press Service honours Emma Bonino with a Special Humanitarian Award for her remarkable service to the international career, Ms. Bonino has been an untiring campaigner for justice and equal rights. As president, and later as Secretary of the Transnational Radical Party in Italy, and since 1995 as a European Commissioner, Ms. Bonino has been a vocal and persuasive advocate for the establishment of an international criminal court. Her spirit and energy provide an inspiration for us all. I congratulate her on her outstanding work and am honoured to be able to participate in this tribute to her.

It is also gratifying that this annual award ceremony is held at the United Nations Headquarters, as it underscores the commitment of the United Nations to expanding its partnership with the media and civil society. Our cooperation with Inter press Service extends back more than 20 years, during which IPS, through its unique coverage of development issues, has become a vital link between the United Nations and the world' s peoples.

It now gives me great pleasure to give the floor to a gentleman who needs no introduction to the United Nations community: the President of ECOSOC and former Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, Ambassador Paolo Fulci.

Thank you