PRESS CONFERENCE ON UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION RANAN LURIE POLITICAL CARTOON AWARD

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE ON UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION RANAN LURIE POLITICAL CARTOON AWARD

Today, during a press conference at Headquarters, the establishment of the United Nations Correspondents Association Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award was announced by Ranan Lurie, political cartoonist, Sashi Tharoor, Director of Communications and Special Projects in the Office of the Secretary-General, and Erol Avdovic, President of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA).

Mr. Tharoor said Mr. Lurie had asked some months ago to meet with the Secretary-General in order to interview and draw him. At that occasion, Mr. Lurie had told him about an idea mentioned to him by the United Nations Society of Writers and Artists: a prize for the cartoon that best exemplified United Nations values and activities. Since the United Nations should not be in the business of awarding prizes to journalists and cartoonists, Mr. Tharoor said, he had put Mr. Lurie in touch with UNCA.

Mr. Avdovic announced Mr. Lurie's membership in UNCA. He then read the decision from the 15 Executive Committee members: "The United Nations Correspondents Association, in its desire to promote the highest standard of excellence in political cartoons depicting the spirit and principles of the United Nations, has established this annual political cartoon award given in the international field, and named the award after the world's leading political cartoonist, Ranan Lurie." The UNCA decided to name the award after Mr. Lurie, he said, because his political cartoons set an example for all cartoonists to follow.

Mr. Lurie, together with the UNCA, had organized a presentation to the Secretary-General of the cartoon. The date and place would be announced later, Mr. Avdovic said.

"Mr. Lurie's work epitomizes the highest standards that the UNCA would like to see political cartoonists, worldwide, set for themselves", Mr. Avdovic continued. The annual award would be presented for the first time at the UNCA Award Dinner at The Delegates Dining Room during October 2000. Mr. Avdovic also mentioned this year's UNCA award for Excellence in Writing in United Nations reporting, inviting entries. This award would be presented at this year's Award Dinner on 31 October.

Mr. Lurie said that he had asked UNCA if he should not die first before a competition named after him was launched. He had been told, he said, that after consultations it had been decided that this was not necessary. He then called for submissions, for which forms were made available. The panel of

Political Cartoon Press Conference - 2 - 20 August 1999

judges, he said, was very distinguished. Among them were 6 Ambassadors to the United Nations, the author Norman Mailer, His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia, and members from UNCA. The Chairman of the Panel of Judges was Nobel Laureate Eli Wiesel.

Political cartoons could serve the purpose and ideals of the United Nations, he said. The United Nations was too often seen as a very important, influential and bureaucratic institution. That it was also seen as a kind of father figure by very small, poor States was often forgotten. That kind of idealism should be conveyed by the cartoons generated by the award. He appealed to correspondents to remind their publications and agencies of this award.

Mr. Tharoor added that the Secretary-General himself had welcomed the initiative.

Answering a correspondent's question, Mr. Lurie said that, in order for a cartoon to be a legitimate candidate, it had to be sent in with proof of publication, even in the tiniest forum.

Asked to elaborate on the themes for the competition, Mr. Tharoor said that humour was a very useful way of putting forward a real message. From the United Nations point of view, there was no interest in cartoons that went against the spirit of the Organization -- attacking a nationality, a government or an ethnic group. For the purpose of the award, humour should be used to forward the values and principles of the United Nations, he stressed.

Mr. Lurie remarked that humour was just one of the ingredients of a good cartoon. Sometimes one had to move to satire. In this competition he was looking for cartoons that would deliver the message.

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