Mandela’s Lifelong Battle Against Injustices Recognized With Enron Prize

Mandela’s Lifelong Battle Against Injustices Recognized With Enron Prize

RICE NEWS
November 4, 1999

During his Oct. 26 talk sponsored by Rice’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa, received the Enron Prize for Distinguished Public Service for his “unrelenting commitment to peace.”

Following Mandela’s speech, titled “Solving Conflict Through Resolution,” before a packed crowd in Autry Court, Kenneth Lay, chief executive officer and chairman of Enron, joined James A. Baker, III, 61st secretary of state of the United States; Rice University President Malcolm Gillis; E. William Barnett, chairman of the Rice Board of Trustees; and Edward Djerejian, director of the Baker Institute, in presenting the prize to Mandela.

The Enron Prize recognizes outstanding individuals for their contributions to public service. Mandela is the fourth recipient of the prize. Past recipients include retired U.S. General Colin Powell, former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev and Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze.

Mandela served as the first black president of South Africa for five years (1994-1999) before stepping down in June. He received the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. Mandela was accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.

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