Fresh on the heels of receiving a star on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame, not to mention celebrating his 80th birthday earlier
this year, Sir Roger Moore received the Dag Hammarskjöld
Inspiration Award at the Dag Hammarskjöld Awards Fund Luncheon,
held at the United Nations. It has clearly been quite a year for
him and he seemed to be taking the accolades with natural charm
and humor.
"I’ve been an exceedingly lucky actor,
and the luck of it all was that I was able to come and work for
UNICEF,” said Goodwill Ambassador Sir Roger Moore as he
received the Dag Hammarskjöld Inspiration Award at a ceremony
in New York.
The prestigious humanitarian award is presented in memory of
the second United Nations Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld,
who served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in
September 1961.
©
UNICEF - Susan Markisz
|
Sir Roger, only the second recipient of the award, received it
for his work with UNICEF on behalf of the world’s children.
“It is an enormous privilege to receive this award in honour
of Dag Hammarskjöld,” said the veteran actor and child
advocate. “He devoted his life, as short as it was, to improving
the world for people. He died long before he should have done,
working for that cause.”
"The truth will eventually win"
The award to Sir Roger was announced at the annual luncheon of
the Dag Hammarskjöld Scholarship Fund for Journalists. UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan
attended, along with UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman
and other dignitaries.
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UNICEF - Susan Markisz |
Taking his place at the podium after receiving the Inspiration
Award, Sir Roger Moore spoke of the day he was approached by Audrey
Hepburn about the idea of becoming a Goodwill Ambassador and of
the doubts he had about his ability to speak about humanitarian
issues. Like Ban Ki-moon, he relied on humor. He said that he
was told not to worry about answering questions about humanitarian
issues and that people really wanted to talk about movies.
Sir Roger and Lady Kristina speak with UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon © UNICEF - Susan Markisz |
The Secretary General couldn't resist referring to Sir Roger's
former career, saying “My name is Ban, not James Bond.”
“I was told never to work with animals and children. They
didn’t tell me not to follow a Secretary General,”
quipped Sir Roger.
Sir Roger paid tribute to the young journalists supported by
the fund, who are given the chance to work at the UN, and encouraged
them to continue the mission charted by Mr. Hammarskjöld.
Sir
Roger and Lady Kristina speak with UNICEF Deputy Executive
Director Hilde Frafjord Johnson © UNICEF - Susan Markisz |
“He wanted the world to know the truth and the world to
be improved upon,” Sir Roger said. “To the recipients
of the scholarship I would say: Continue, continue to tell the
truth. The truth will eventually win.”
Celebrating three milestones
At the award ceremony, Sir Roger also revealed another important
life achievement that occurred earlier this month, when he received
his own star on Hollywood Boulevard. And Ms. Veneman announced
a third milestone: Sir Roger’s 80th birthday.
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UNICEF - Susan Markisz
|
“He is passionate, he is compassionate. He is a champion
for children,” she said as a three-tiered cake was wheeled
out, bearing – among other decorations – the colours
of UNICEF. “Today we’re here to toast not only his
award, but this very special important time in his life. Happy
birthday to you.”
Text: Chris Niles (UNICEF), Elisa Burchett (U.N Observer)
and Marie-France
Vienne (Sir Roger's Official website)
Many thanks to Dheepa Pandian and Susan Markisz at UNICEF for
their kind help.
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