Prince Constantijn Awards World Press Photo of the Year

As patron of World Press Photo, a post previously held by his grandfather, Prince Bernhard, Prince Constantijn presented British photo journalist Tim Hetherington with the World Press Photo of the Year 2007 prize at the World Press Photo awards ceremony yesterday. The reward was 10,000 Euros and a new camera.

Below is some text from Prince Constantijn’s speech at the World Press Photo awards.

"In 2008 WPP decided it needed a patron. I must admit, my initial reaction was to be a little embarrassed that this esteemed organisation would turn to me for support. So as the chairman did today, I asked the question: Why? WPP replied with a counter question (after all, they are journalists…): Why not, and on what ground would you accept? As I intend to remain patron for some years to come, I thought you might want to know right from the start what I replied and thus what my reasons were for accepting."

"First and foremost, the WPP is one of the most powerful global advocates of free speech and freedom of the press. What words and print cannot express, the photographed image can convey. Pictures presenting the hard facts, the subtle emotions, the contrasts and hypocrisies to a global audience have changed history. The World Press Photo Awards celebrate those photo journalists who have often risked their lives to tell us these stories. And the travelling WPP exhibitions tell them to unexpected constituencies in unexpected parts of the world."

Prince Constantijn’s entire speech from the World Press Photo awards can be read here.

For more information on World Press Photo, visit the official website.

Photo: ANP/EPA, Marcel Antonisse

Prince Constantijn Interprets Culture and Conflict at the Prince Claus Awards Ceremony

To impart the theme for the 2007 Prince Claus Awards, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands incorporated Culture and Conflict in his speech on Wednesday and elucidated the gathering of winners, the Dutch royal family and Prince Claus board members with his interpretation of cultural expression regarding conflict, by saying, “cultural expression contributes to the protection and growth of human civilisation and the dignity of individuals and their communities. Thus, culture tends to defend freedom of expression when there is oppression, and to shake things up when society gets too sedate or too decadent. Seen from this perspective, culture is a mobilising force. It contains the energy necessary for change and growth, and thus provides a vital component for sustainable human development.”

“It is this positive and creative force that we want to nurture. Deep down within us, we hope – I would argue, universally - that THIS, and not the destructive and brutal violence of conflict, is the true reflection of our human nature. In this perspective, it is cultural expression that provides the hope, the vitality and inspiration for human beings in their struggle for survival.”

During the ceremony, choregrapher/dancer Faustin Linyekula was honoured by Prince Constantijn with the Principal Laureate of the Prince Claus Award.

Established in 1996, The Prince Claus Fund seeks “to enhance understanding of cultures and to promote interaction between culture and development.”

Prince Constantijn’s entire speech from the 2007 Prince Claus Awards can be read here.

For more information on The Prince Claus fund, visit the official website.

Photos: ANP and Lex van Lieshout

Queen Rania Awards Distinguished Teachers

Queen Rania of Jordan praised the country’s educators at the Distinguished Teacher award ceremony on Thursday for their instruction and dedication to the education profession. Jordan has over 90,000 teachers and 5,000 schools with a student population over 1.6 million. The elegant queen presented the Queen Rania Award for the Distinguished Teacher 2007 to five teachers.

In her remarks, the queen extolled the teachers for their dedication and challenged them to unleash the energies and potential in their students, and said, “Warm congratulations to all teachers in our beloved Jordan who believe in the teaching vocation…who shoulder it with dedication…and selflessly carry the burdens of such a humanitarian and noble occupation.”

“Every time you embrace our children, unleashing their energies and potentials, and opening before them the horizons of knowledge, you are engraving, in their minds, the image of the teacher that cannot be diminished by the passing of years. This is an enviable honor.”

“You carry a great responsibility, and you do so with much sincerity and integrity “I know that as you hold the award of distinction in one hand, you bear the future of Jordan in the other.”

Photo: Petra