ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MCLEAN, VIRGINIA, 4 – 5 MAY

Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mrs. Nane Annan travelled to Virginia in the afternoon of Tuesday, 4 May, to receive a humanitarian award from Refugees International, in an event marking that group’s twenty-fifth anniversary, in McLean, Virginia.

They received the first McCall-Pierpaoli Humanitarian Award, which is named after three Refugee International staff members -– David and Penny McCall and Yvette Pierpaoli –- who died in Albania in 1999 on a mission for that group.

The Secretary-General told his audience that the event paid tribute to the selfless women and men who have taken to heart the appeal to help others.  He said that these are “people who usually receive no recognition, no medals, no parades”.  (See Press Release SG/SM/9293.)

The Secretary-General returned to New York the following morning.