Former Chile President Michelle Bachelet Receives Indira Gandhi Peace Prize
The Sunday Mail
New Delhi. Former Chile President Michelle Bachelet has been awarded the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development. The award was presented to her by Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who also serves as Chairperson of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Jury Chairman Shivshankar Menon, and numerous dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Presenting the award to Bachelet, Sonia Gandhi recalled her outstanding contributions not only to her country but also to global peace. She said Bachelet witnessed firsthand the loss, persecution, torture, and exile she faced in her early years.
She said it was a remarkable coincidence that both Indira Gandhi and Bachelet were born and raised in times of turmoil.
Sonia Gandhi further noted that when Bachelet returned to Chile after many years, she faced many difficulties and also witnessed her country’s transformation into a democracy. She particularly praised Bachelors work for women’s empowerment and gender equality. Sonia Gandhi said that her work has been based on efforts to ensure the rights of all, especially women.
Bachelet expressed her deep gratitude and pride at being selected for this prestigious award. She also expressed sadness over the recent terrorist incident in Delhi and offered her deep condolences to the bereaved families. She said that violence is never a solution; peace always shows us the way forward.
The former Chilean President said that Indira Gandhi believed that nations can prosper only when they live in harmony with each other. She further said that this belief seems even more important in today’s divided world. She said that only by working together across nations, generations, and diversities can we build a world of peace, equality, and dignity, where peace is not just aspirations but also realities for all. Bachelet concluded her speech by thanking them in Hindi.
Earlier, Shivshankar Menon, referring to Bachelor role in global peace, said she had an impact far beyond the borders of Chile and Latin America. She was appointed the first Director of the UN Women’s Agency in 2010 and later as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Menon said no one could be more deserving than Bachelet for the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize.
