Graça Machel
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| Graça Machel | |
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First Lady of Mozambique
11 November 1975 to 19 October 1986 First Lady of South Africa 18 July 1998 to 14 June 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Mozambique N/A South Africa Marike de Klerk |
| Succeeded by | Mozambique Marcelina Chissano South Africa Zanele Mbeki |
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| Born | October 17, 1945  Incadine, Mozambique |
| Spouse | Samora Machel 11 November 1975 - 19 October 1986 Nelson Mandela 18 July 1998 - present |
| Alma mater | University of Lisbon |
| Occupation | Teacher and then Education Minister |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Dame Graça Machel, DBE (born Graça Simbine on 17th October 1945 in Incadine, Gaza Province, Mozambique) is the wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela and the widow of the late Mozambican president Samora Machel, who died in a plane crash over South Africa in 1986. She is the only woman to have been married to the presidents of two different nations, at different times. She is an international advocate for women’s and children’s rights
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[edit] Personal life
Born in rural Mozambique she attended Methodist Mission schools before gaining a scholarship to attend University of Lisbon in Portugal, where she first became involved in independence issues. In that university, she got a scholarship from Romance Languages. Aside from her important foreign languages English and Portuguese, she is fluent in Spanish, Italian, and French. She returned to Mozambique in 1973, joined the Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and became a school teacher.
Following Mozambique independence in 1975, Machel was appointed Minister for Education and Culture. She married Samora Machel the same year. Following her retirement from the Mozambique ministry, Machel was appointed as the expert in charge of producing the ground-breaking United Nations Report on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children.
Machel received the 1995 Nansen Medal from the United Nations in recognition of her longstanding humanitarian work, particularly on behalf of refugee children.
She was thrust back into the international spotlight in July 1998 when she married Nelson Mandela.
In 1998 she was one of the two winners of the North-South Prize.[1]
[edit] Positions and Awards
- Mozambique’s Minister for Education
- Chairperson of National Organization of Chil`dren of Mozambique
- Organization that places orphans in village homes
- Works closely with families to rehabilitate children
- Delegate to 1998 UNICEF conference in Zimbabwe
- President of National Commission of UNESCO
- Served international steering committee 1990 World Conference on Education for All
- Appointed by Secretary- General of the United Nations- chair Study on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children
- Recipient of InterAction’s humanitarian award 1997
- Received major award from CARE as result-longstanding work on behalf of children
(http://www.unfoundation.org/about/board/machel.asp)
[edit] Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
On the August 28, 2007, Graça Machel was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire at the request of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
[edit] The Elders
On July 18, 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel, and Desmond Tutu convened "The Global Elders, a group of world leaders to contribute their wisdom, leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world's toughest problems. Mandela announced its formation in a speech on his 89th birthday. Archbishop Tutu is to serve as its Chair. Other founding members include Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus.
“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”
The Elders will be independently funded by a group of Founders, including Richard Branson, Peter Gabriel, Ray Chambers, Michael Chambers, Bridgeway Foundation, Pam Omidyar, Humanity United, Amy Robbins, Shashi Ruia, Dick Tarlow and the United Nations Foundation.
[edit] External links
- BBC Profile of Graça Machel
- UNICEF Report - Impact of Armed Conflict on Children by Graça Machel
- SAHistory bio
- UN Foundation Bio
[edit] References
- ^ The North South Prize of Lisbon. North-South Centre. Council of Europe. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
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