Flashback: The late Wangari Maathai (second right), President Bharrat Jagdeo (second left) and other officials at the Clinton Global Initiative 2010 Annual Meeting that addressed Investing in the World’s Forests
President Bharrat Jagdeo joined other world leaders on Monday, September 26 in mourning the passing of Kenyan Nobel laureate Professor Wangari Maathai.
Professor Maathai passed away on Sunday after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Professor Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 – the first African woman to receive this honour. In recent years, she played an increasingly important role in global efforts to address climate change, especially advocating for recognising the importance of protecting the world’s forests.
In a message, Jagdeo said on his own behalf, and that of the government and people of Guyana: “I extend our deepest sympathies on the death of Professor Wangari Maathai.
Professor Wangari Maathai
“I had the privilege of spending time with Professor Maathai on many occasions over the past few years. We frequently shared public platforms to advocate for urgent action to stabilise our planet’s climate, and for measures to protect vulnerable people from the damage caused by the destruction of the world’s priceless environment, in particular its forests. But we also spent many quieter moments talking about injustices in the world, and the need for strong international leadership to combat them.”
He said in all situations – whether on the public stage or away from the cameras – Wangari’s passion for justice and her deep desire for a better, fairer world shone through. “She always identified with those who are less fortunate, or those experiencing hardship, no matter where they are from. And she translated this into a forceful articulation of the need for those with power to do more. Perhaps because she was always advocating for something better, she did not stop often enough to reflect on how she had already made the world a better place.
“But as she passes from this life, those of us who are left behind can see all that she achieved.” Jagdeo said that despite their grief and pain, it is hoped that Wangari’s family and friends can see that her work has not ended with her passing, but that instead, Wangari’s spirit will live on in the daily acts of the tens of thousands of people who are now carrying forward her struggle to create a fairer, more sustainable world.
After her death, President Barack Obama said that “Professor Maathai’s tireless efforts earned her not only a Nobel Peace Prize… but the respect of millions who were inspired by her commitment to conservation, democracy, women’s empowerment, the eradication of poverty, and civic engagement.” According to the Office of Nelson Mandela, “Professor Maathai has left a lasting legacy in greater awareness and work in protecting our environment and the world”.
