2007 JOURNALISM FELLOWS, UNICEF GOODWILL AMBASSADOR AND NOTED JOURNALIST HONORED BY DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD FUND

The Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists held its 46th Annual Luncheon on October 25, 2007 in the United Nations Delegates Dining Room. More than 200 diplomats, UN officials and dignitaries attended. Guests of honor were Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, actor Sir Roger Moore, and ABC correspondent Bob Woodruff. Queen Rania of Jordan attended briefly and greeted the 2007 Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellowship recipients.

The Fund, since 1962, has awarded fellowships to young journalists from developing countries to cover the autumn session of the UN General Assembly. It is run by correspondents accredited to the United Nations on a voluntary basis and financed by UN missions, foundations and corporations.

The 2007 Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellows were introduced by Evelyn Leopold of Reuters, chair of the Fund: Benson Amollo of Kenya, Agnes Asiimwe of Uganda, Tony Hotland of Indonesia and Maria Jose Borges Zubelso of Uruguay. Each fellow commented on the personal and professional value of the fellowship experience.

Sir Roger MooreSir Roger, famed for his portrayal of master spy James Bond, was presented the Dag Hammarskjöld Inspiration Award by Ms Leopold to acknowledge his extraordinary efforts on behalf of children in need around the world as a goodwill ambassador the UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund (site), for more than 15 years.

Evelyn LeopoldMoore, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, first represented UNICEF in 1991 at the invitation of Audrey Hepburn, herself a goodwill ambassador. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted, "Everybody knows you were the longest-serving agent 007. Yet you have served as a United Nations goodwill ambassador even longer than that. And you have shown by example, that even tough guys have a license to care."

Agnes Assiime, Queen RaniaIn accepting the Inspiration Award Sir Roger (site) said: "I would like to say for journalists something very important to my heart. Young people are children. They are not young goats. And I don't like them being called kids. I think it is disrespectful to children. So please in all your reports write children.” Citing the devotion of Dag Hammarskjöld, the second U.N. secretary-general, to world peace, Moore said that “He wanted the world to know the truth … it is so fitting that the Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists is in existence.” He urged the Dag Hammarskjöld Fellowship recipients to “continue to tell the world the truth because truth will eventually win.”

Bob Woodruff, Maggie FarleyThe Fund also presented its Chairman's Citation to ABC news anchor Bob Woodruff who suffered a brain injury while covering the war in Irag and endured months of painstaking recovery. In introducing Woodruff, Los Angeles Times correspondent, Maggie Farley, a member of the Dag Hammarskjold Fund board of directors, noted that Woodruff has always gone above and beyond in the name of journalism and has “transformed tragedy into triumph.” Woodruff commented on the increased dangers to journalists around the world and expressed his respect for the Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellows. “The more we get together in a place like the United Nations… the world will be a better place,” he said.

The Dag Hammarskjöld Scholarship Fund will announce requirements for the 2008 Journalism Fellowships in mid-February.

Pictures from the luncheon are here.
Audio and video of the event's speakers are here.