Kennedy Society of Denmark
Purpose: Keeping alive John F. and Robert F. Kennedy’s inspiration
and philosophy of life, so that their good words can be translated into good deeds.

Profiles in Courage Award, 1989

The Kennedy Society of Denmark has decided to give John F. Kennedy’s book “Profiles in Courage” as an award for the year 1989 to Secretary-General of the United Nations, Javier Peréz de Cuellar with the following reasons:
Since his appointment as Secretary-General Javier Peréz de Cuéllar has challenged the United Nations! It has caused, that the organisation from being placed on the sidelines of many tragic developments has become more involved as – a forum, catalyst and organ – for justice and peace in and among nations.
In his report on the work of the United Nations September 7, 1982 he stated: ”We often lack the vision to differentiate between short-term advantage and long-term progress, between politically expedient positions and indispensable objective of creating a civilized and peaceful world order… an important first step would be a concious recommitment by the Governments to the Charter.” He continued:”We are periously near to a new international anarchy.” And:”Unfortunately there has been a tendency to avoid bringing critical problems to the Security Counsel, or to do it too late… It’s essential to reverse this trend if the Counsel is to play its role as the primary world authority for international peace and security… Adequate working relations between the permanent members of the Security Counsel are a sine qua non of the Counsel’s effectiveness.” In his report September 5, 1984 he concluded: “The vision expressed in the Charter remains and we should rally to it!”
In his report September 3, 1985 he warned: “Those who engage in and fuel the arms trade bear a particularly heavy responsibility.” He continued: “I appeal to all States to support, strengthen and take part in the procedures which have been established to examine violations of human rights, and assure their protection… Let us remember all the things we have in common as human beings…” In his report September 9, 1986 he repeated his caution: That devotion to the principles of the Charter needed to express itself in concrete action and not only in rhetoric…!
In his report September 9, 1987 he stated: ”… countries have accepted a judgment of the International Court of Justice… the route prescribed in the Charter… the route of reason and peace.” He continued: “It must be a continuing purpose of the United Nations to encourage to universal respect for human rights and bring to this and to other major social problems the force of international co-operation.”
In his report September 14, 1988 he warned: “International confidence would rest on quicksand if the domestic necessities felt by governments were allowed to override the international obligations they have solemnly undertaken.”
In his lecture to the Norwegian Nobel Committee for the Award to the United Nations peace-keeping operations, Oslo January 9, 1989 he stated the idea: To finance the peace-keeping process against wars and conflicts through an appropiate international levy on all arms sales…! He also stated: “Successful peace-keeping requires a strong and supportive international consensus, starting in the Security Counsel… A peace-keeping operation need disciplined and broadly representative contingents and and effective integrated command… and the development of international peace-keeping has an essential place, just as the concept of the civil police was essential to the development of the rule of law within nation states.”