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Northland Leader And Conservationist Wins Unesco Peacebuilder Award
Northland community leader and conservationist Kevin Prime of Ngati Hine is today being awarded the New Zealand National
Commission for UNESCO's Peacebuilder Award.
UNESCO has established the Peacebuilder Award to draw attention to the United Nations International Year for the Culture
of Peace. The Award is being made every month until the end of the year to show the many diverse ways in which people
contribute to building peace in our society.
The Award is to be presented to Mr Prime at 2pm today by Pat Lynch, the Chairman of the Steering of the Steering
Committee for the International Year, in a special ceremony at the Bay of Islands College where Mr Prime is Chairman of
the Board of Trustees.
Mr Lynch said Mr Prime was an extraordinary leader in many fields - in education, in health, in conservation and in
justice and employment.
"He is also the father of 13 children. He seems to have more energy than an entire All Black team. He is a real taonga,
a messenger of peace who has provided the leadership, vision, energy and commitment to make positive things happen for
the people of Tai Tokerau and the environment of the far North."
The New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO is keen to draw particular attention to Mr Prime's outstanding efforts in
conservation because preservation of the planet is an integral part of the creation of a culture of peace. In the
'Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence', which it is hoped will contain 100 million signatures from all
over the world when it is presented to the United Nations General Assembly in September, individuals are asked to work
for peace by respecting life, rejecting violence and preserving the planet.
Item 5 of the Manifesto asks people to pledge to "promote consumer behaviour that is responsible and development
practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet."
Around one quarter of the world's mammals and more than one tenth of birds are at high risk of extinction. With
development often leading to the destruction of wild habitats, there is increasing understanding that a holistic
approach to management of the planet is necessary, Mr Lynch said. "In this small corner of the earth Kevin Prime has
shown the way. His dynamic leadership has provided the vision to drive the restoration of the Motatau Forest and the
control of pests to allow the survival of the kukupa (the native wood pigeon). This project is achieving spectacular
results."
For further comment please contact:
Pat Lynch, Chair NZ Steering Committee for a Culture of Peace - Tel: (04) 496 1739
Elizabeth Rose, Secretary, NZ National Commission for UNESCO - Tel: (04) 499 1004
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