Liberia President To Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom
October 30th, 2007 at 10:19 am | posted by Virginia SimmonsYesterday, President George W. Bush announced the 2007 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civil award.
Among the 7 recipients is Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
From the White House’s press release:
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has helped heal a country torn apart by conflict through perseverance, personal courage, and an unwavering commitment to building a more hopeful future for her homeland. The first woman elected president of an African nation, she has worked to expand freedom and improve the lives of people in Liberia and across Africa.
Importantly, last week tens of thousands of ONE members took action urging the IMF to provide Liberia the debt relief the institution owed the country 18 months ago. More info on that here and here.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:57 am
imho, this Medal of Freedom for her is perfect, and perfect timing. we are deep in the trenches of working on securing the completed debt relief for her country, after 14 years of civil war, and she extremely deserving of this honor. bringing her and her situation to the front pages and front stage of the world’s news will draw positive attention to this situation. this is a editorial opportunity, blogging opportunity, letters to members of congress opportunity.
i commend the president on this bestowing of the nation’s highest civil award on a leader of, i think, this is the first democratic nation in africa. they have committed a year and a half ago to this, time’s wasting and time here means too many more lives lost, unschooled children, health and economic and hunger crises. we still have a lot of work to do here . . . this here helps pry the window of opportunity open a little wider.
stay close,
sammi in seattle