19 November 2001
FICSA Update No. 59 2001
UNRWA Honoured by Jordanian King
On 14 November 2001, in Amman, King Abdullah II of Jordan presented the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) with the King Hussein Humanitarian Leadership Prize for its 50 years of service to Palestinian refugees and its emergency work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the last 13 months, which have been marked by increasing levels of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.
The award recognizes exceptional humanitarian leadership in efforts to promote sustainable development, human rights, tolerance, equity and peace. UNRWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen, who accepted the award on behalf of the agency, said the honor comes at a time when events have brought the agency closer than ever to the people it serves. "I am truly proud of the way our courageous staff members have often risked their lives to go out into the field and provide immediate sustenance to the often frightened refugees," he said.
The agency will use the US$50,000 prize for trauma counseling for children affected by the violence in the occupied territories. UNRWA provides services to 3.9 million refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
FICSA extends its warmest congratulations to our colleagues in UNRWA on both their achievements and the well-deserved recognition of their merits.