Monrovia, Liberia - The President of the Republic, His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, has hailed Nobel laureates attending the Nobel Women Initiative (NWI) in Monrovia for their invaluable roles and contributions to peace and development in their respective countries and urged them to remain focused on promoting global peace and unity.

“No doubt, it is a distinct record to be a Nobel laureate and to hold other prestigious awards because it brings joy and pride to one’s family and country,” the President said Thursday, May 2, at his Foreign Ministry office during a meeting with a plethora of Nobel Laureates from the United States of America, Yemen, Iran, Guatemala and Liberia.

“Myself, I am a one-time Ballon D’or holder. So, I am aware that distinction or decoration conferred upon any man and woman places upon that individual the responsibilities to live an exemplary life, particularly the responsibility to always promote peace and unity among peoples nationally and globally.”

He urged the Nobel laureates to focus on contributing to maintaining and promoting global peace and to always speak on issues that affect vulnerable people, especially women.

Speaking on behalf of the Nobel laureates, Madam Leymah Gbowee of the Gbowee Peace Foundation thanked President Weah and the Liberian government for supporting the ongoing NWI conference taking place at the Monrovia City Hall.

This year’s NWI conference which is being held in Monrovia has brought together Nobel laureates Jody William (USA) 1997, Tawakkol Karma (Yemen) 2011, Shirin Ebadi (Iran) 2003, Rigoberta Meuchu (Guatemala) 1992 and Leymah Gbowee (Liberia) 2011.

It is also being attended by over 60 young women working in the areas of peace in their respective countries on the African Continent and other parts of the world.

Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee noted that the NWI was established to mentor young women and to create the platform to discuss critical issues affecting women and girls.

The Nobel Women’s Initiative uses the prestige of the Nobel Peace Prize and six courageous women peace laureates—Mairead Maguire, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Tawakkol Karman, and Leymah Gbowee—to magnify the power and visibility of women working in countries around the world for peace, justice and equality.

The six women bring together their extraordinary experiences and work to spotlight, amplify and promote the work of grassroots women’s organizations and movements around the world. The Nobel Women’s Initiative was established in 2006.