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Annan to Donate Cash Prize to Global AIDS Fund
Having been selected to receive a prestigious award of 100,000 U.S. dollars for civic achievement, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan will donate the accompanying cash grant to a proposed global fund to fight HIV/ AIDS and other infectious diseases, a U.N. spokesman announced Thursday.
"The Secretary-General has been named this year's recipient of the Philadelphia Liberty Medal for his role in promoting peace, social justice and economic development," spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters at U.N. Headquarters in New York.
The U.N. chief has been named this year's recipient of the Philadelphia Liberty Medal, and he will receive the award at Philadelphia's Liberty Hall -- where the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution were adopted -- on the July 4.
"The award includes a cash prize of 100,000 dollars, which is raised privately, and which the Secretary-General intends to donate to the global fund that he has proposed to deal with the fight against HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases," Eckhard said.
"The Secretary-General's donation would be the first to the global fund, which is expected to cover a good portion of the 7 to 10 billion dollars required annually to deal with AIDS worldwide," the spokesman said.
The Philadelphia Liberty Medal is an award established following the bicentennial celebration of the U.S. Constitution in 1987, and has recognized achievement among civic, government and business leaders.
Annan first proposed the creation of the global fund in a call to action he delivered last month at the African summit meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.
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