SESSION 1: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 21ST JANUARY
MARTTI AHTISAARI WINS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Text taken and adapted from:
www. Breaking News English.com
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THE ARTICLE
The former president of Finland Martti Ahtisaari has won the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize. He won it "for his important efforts, on several continents and over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts." Mr Ahtisaari has worked tiredlessly to end conflicts in many of the world´s danger zones. He has successfully brought conflicting sides together to bring peace to Namibia, the Aceh province of Indonesia, Northern Ireland and in Kosovo. A spokesman for Norway´s Nobel Committee described Artisaari as "an outstanding international mediator." He added Ahtisaari has "contributed to a more peaceful world and to 'fraternity between nations' in Alfred Nobel´s spirit." Ex-colleague Gareth Evans said Mr. Ahtisaari "combines charm and good humor with an iron determination."
Mr. Ahtisaari was selected from a list of 197 nominees for the Peace Prize. He said he was "very pleased and grateful" for it. "I hope this will bring positive attention to Finland, and that it tells about our society and what is important to us," he said. Ahtisaari´s work as a Finnish diplomat, a United Nations envoy and an international mediator has taken him all over the world. He has led humanitarian missions, and helped resolve difficult ethnic, racial and religious disputes. He built up a reputation for bringing enemies together and never giving up. Ahtisaari told the Nobel Foundation: "Every conflict can be solved. I think it´s a disgrace for the international community that we have allowed so many conflicts to become frozen, and we are not making a serious effort to solve them."
Martti Ahtisaari wins Nobel Peace Prize - 12th October, 2008
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