French President Hollande to receive Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize from UNESCO

PARIS, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Friday announced to grant the gold medal of the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize to French President Francois Hollande in recognition of his peace efforts in Africa.

"The Jury of the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize on Feb. 21 decided to honor the President of France 'for his great contribution to peace and stability in Africa,'" declared the UN organization in a statement.

The award ceremony will take place on June 5 at UNESCO's headquarters, where Hollande will receive the prize presented by Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova.

Created in 1989, the Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize is intended to honor individuals or organizations that have made a significant contribution to promoting, seeking, safeguarding or maintaining peace, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitution of UNESCO.

A number of presidents of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and countries of the Sahel region will attend the ceremony, the UNESCO said, confirming that Hollande will deliver a keynote address at the ceremony.

Former laureates of the Prize include Nelson Mandela and Frederik W. De Klerk; Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat; King Juan Carlos of Spain; and former President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

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