Jawaharlal Nehru Award for the year 2007

08/04/2008

The Jury for the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding, chaired by Hon'ble Vice-President of India Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari, has decided to confer the Award for the year 2007 on H. E. Dr Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of the Republic of Iceland. Dr Grimsson is currently serving his third term as President of Iceland. He has been closely associated with India as well as with the Indian leadership since 1983 when he visited India for the first time as a young MP. Thus, 2008 marks the silver jubilee of Dr Grimsson's personal association with India.

Dr Grimsson was Chairman and later International President of the International Association Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) in the year 1984-90 and has sat on the Board since. The PGA is an Association of over 1800 Parliamentarians in about 80 countries. The Association organised the “Six Nations Peace Initiative” 1984-89, which included amongst others the late premiers Olaf Palme of Sweden and Rajiv Gandhi of India. Mr. Grimsson sat on the Executive Committee of this initiative. He accepted the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize on behalf of the Association in 1987.

He was also the chairman of the organizing committee of the “Parliamentary Conference of the Council of Europe, North- South: Europe's Role 1982-84.” This Conference created the basis for work on North-South relations and the foundation of the North-South Centre in Lisbon.

The Award carries a prize money of 5 million besides a trophy and citation.

New Delhi

April 08, 2008