2004 Nobel Peace Prize Wangari Maathais Speech Cop15

Reference: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3726084.stm

The first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize was praised by the awarding committee as "a source of inspiration for everyone in Africa fighting for sustainable development, democracy and peace".

A pioneering academic, her role as an environmental campaigner began after she planted some trees in her back garden.

This inspired her in 1977 to form an organisation - primarily of women - known as the Green Belt Movement aiming to curtail the devastating effects of deforestation and desertification.

Her desire was to produce sustainable wood for fuel use as well as combating soil erosion.

Her campaign to mobilise poor women to plant some 30 million trees has been copied by other countries.

Speaking as recently as Wednesday on the BBC's Africa Live programme she said her tree planting campaign was not at all popular when it first began.

"It took me a lot of days and nights to convince people that women could improve their environment without much technology or without much financial resources."

The Green Belt Movement went on to campaign on education, nutrition and other issues important to women.

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• nobel prize
• GoodPlanet NatureRights
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• nycreator

[mr1peace]

VOTE POWER?so kenyan have high quality people who they can vote for president position. someone who represent all and fight for all.oh i 4got Kenyanheld back by a curse their eyes closed to people of positive influence but open to rubish leaders who only in most cases represent their tribes only. so tell me when you will ever bring change KENYA.kenyans are 2 blame 4 all their misery because if this woman wasnt worthy your votes then shutup and enjoy uhuru,kibaki,raila and rest of selfish leaders

[engineer14]

"God created the planet from Monday to Friday. On Saturday he created human beings. "The truth of the matter is... if man was created on Tuesday, I usually say, he would have been dead on Wednesday, because there would not have been the essential elements that he needs to survive" Prof Wangari Maathai

[engineer14]

R.I.P Wangari Mathaai!

[wangaimugo]

RIP.

[Nycreator]

I absolutely love this Video! You guys are doing such great work for the world. Keep it up!