The Kennedy Society has decided to award the actress Liv Ullmann
with John F. Kennedy's book "Profiles in Courage" for the year 1985.
The award is given for her courageous contribution as UNICEF's first female
goodwill ambassador. Her travel, literary and lecture activities have led
the attention of many to the great sufferings in refugee camps, famine struck
areas and in many other situations worldwide.
Furthermore, she has the courage to honestly admit to failures and guilt,
but also the courage to continue with the question: "Are we to blame
for their trouble" and the question: "Those of us who witness these
sufferings, which possibilities do we have?"
With her questions and her contributions she has vitalised so much suffering
to us that it cannot be forgotten as detached statistics.
Liv Ullmann has shown the courage to make humane choices.
She has given prominence to the prayer "to God that he should unite the
people of the world and help them forget their differences".
She has shown the will to "learn about humanity".
She has expressed a positive fear of "loosing connection to reality and
sympathy", which the distressed have aroused in her.
These attitudes are messages to the rest of us.
- The quotes are from Liv Ullmann's book "Tide" (Tidevand), 1984.