tagged w/ Wangari Maathai
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Environmentalist and political activist, Kenyan campaigner Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in sustainable development and women's rights. She died in September from complications resulting from ovarian cancer.Environmentalist and political activist, Kenyan campaigner Wangari Maathai became the... more
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Prof Wangari Maathai’s State funeral will be similar to that of former Vice President Kijana Wamalwa.
The government on Thursday said preparations begin in earnest on Friday.
Government Spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua said it will be “similar to Wamalwa’s”. The funeral committee has set a tentative burial date of October 11.
Committee chairman Njeru Kathangu told the press at Holy Family Basilica that they had concurrence of the family.
Two weeks of mourning
President Kibaki declared two weeks of mourning for Mr Wamalwa, who died in a London hospital in 2003. Mr Wamalwa got a gun salute as flags flew at half-mast. (READ: Maathai to be accorded State funeral)
The President also announced a State funeral and two days of mourning for Prof Maathai during which the flag would fly at half mast. The two days of mourning end on Friday.
Mr Wamalwa’s family turned down a government offer to bury him at Heroes Corner in Jamhuri Park.
And, according to Dr Mutua, the government will respect whatever Prof Maathai’s family wishes.
“The government is keen to do two things — to respect the wishes of the family and to give her a befitting send-off, something similar to Wamalwa’s that befits her stature,” said Dr Mutua. (SEE IN PICTURES: Wangari Maathai)
During a State funeral, government functionaries take over the event entirely and control the programme in consultation with the family.
The State could also assist with hospital bills Prof Maathai might have incurred.
“It is a great honour but could also be a ploy to stop Maathai’s comrades from criticising the State as they will control the programme,” former Subukia MP Koigi Wamwere observed.
Mr Wamwere witnessed the funerals of founding president Jomo Kenyatta and former VP Wamalwa.
“The State, for all intents and purposes, becomes the principal mourner. Military and political leaders are heavily involved, with the deceased’s friends relegated,” he said.
More at the linkProf Wangari Maathai’s State funeral will be similar to that of former Vice... more
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Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel peace prize, died on Sunday night of cancer. She was 71.
A towering figure in Kenya, Maathai was renowned as a fearless social activist and an environmental crusader. Her Green Belt Movement, which she founded in 1977, planted tens of millions of trees.
Maathai's death was confirmed in a statement on the movement's website.
"It is with great sadness that the family of Professor Wangari Maathai announces her passing away on 25 September 2011, at the Nairobi hospital, after a prolonged and bravely borne struggle with cancer. Her loved ones were with her at the time."
Maathai was a pioneer from an early age and in many spheres. After winning a scholarship to study in the US, she returned to a newly independent Kenya, becoming the first woman in east and central Africa to obtain a PhD. Maathai was also the first woman professor the University of Nairobi, where she taught veterinary medicine.
Her work with voluntary groups alerted her to the struggles of women in rural Kenya, and it quickly became her life's cause. Noticing how the rapid environmental degradation was affecting women's lives, she encouraged them to plant trees to ensure future supplies of firewood and to protect water sources and crops.
Maathai's agenda quickly widened as she joined the struggle against the repressive and corrupt regime of Daniel arap Moi. Her efforts to stop powerful politicians grabbing land, especially forests, brought her into conflict with the authorities, and she was beaten and arrested numerous times. Her bravery and defiance made her a hero in Kenya.
In awarding Maathai the Nobel peace prize in 2004, the Nobel committee said that her "unique forms of action have contributed to drawing attention to political oppression – nationally and internationally".
Maathai served as an assistant minister in President Mwai Kibaki's government from 2003 to 2005, but her refusal to keep silent on some issues saw her politically sidelined, and she lost her seat after a single term. Her work schedule remained hectic however, and she wrote several books and travelled widely.
Maathai had been in and out of hospital this year, though most Kenyans were unaware of her illness until it was reported in the local media late last week.
More at the linkWangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel peace prize, died on Sunday... more
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Taking Root tells the dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy—a movement for which this charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration.
"It is the people who must save the environment. It is the people who must make their leaders change. And we cannot be intimidated. So we must stand up for what we believe in."
Wangari Maathai
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5GX6JktJZg
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingroot/Taking Root tells the dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari... more
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Join us today, Wednesday, September 23 at 12 Noon eastern (www.grittv.org):
World leaders from Hu Jintao to Barack Obama have pledged to take action on climate change. But there seems to be little faith that an agreement of substance will be reached in Copenhagen later this year. So what are the politics of global climate change? And what's at stake? Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai of Kenya on the UN deliberations and what can be expected at the climate summit in December.
Post your comments and questions at www.grittv.org.Join us today, Wednesday, September 23 at 12 Noon eastern (www.grittv.org):
World... more
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Wangari Maathai, the founder of Kenya’s Green Belt Movement, has dedicated her life to showing how disrespect for the environment undermines Africa’s development. The Nobel Peace Prize winner spoke with Devex about aid reform and her new book, “The Challenge for Africa.” By Oliver SubasingheWangari Maathai, the founder of Kenya’s Green Belt Movement, has dedicated her... more
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A stunning look at the world’s most pressing problems through the eyes of nine Nobel Laureates, Nobelity follows filmmaker Turk Pipkin’s personal journey to find enlightening answers about the kind of world our children and grandchildren will know. Filmed across the U.S., and in France, England, India, and Africa, Nobelity Combines The Insights of nine distinguished Nobelists with a first-person view of world problems and the children who are most challenged by them.A stunning look at the world’s most pressing problems through the eyes of nine... more
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