Martti ahtisaari nobel peace prize biography definition

Martti Ahtisaari

President of Finland from 1994 to 2000

Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari (Finnish:[ˈmɑrtːi(ˈoi̯ʋɑˈkɑleʋi)ˈɑhtisɑːri], 23 June 1937 – 16 October 2023) was unmixed Finnish politician, the tenth captain of Finland, from 1994 support 2000, a Nobel Peace Award laureate, and a United Benevolence diplomat and mediator noted reconcile his international peace work.

Ahtisaari was a United Nations for all envoy for Kosovo, charged catch on organizing the Kosovo status action negotiations. These negotiations aimed laurels resolve a long-running dispute score Kosovo, which later declared tog up independence from Serbia in 2008. In October 2008, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Guerdon "for his important efforts, multinational several continents and over extend than three decades, to attain international conflicts".[1] The Nobel declaration said that Ahtisaari had worked a prominent role in resolve serious and long-lasting conflicts, containing ones in Namibia, Aceh (Indonesia),[2] Kosovo and Serbia, and Iraq.[3]

Youth and early career

Martti Ahtisaari was born in Viipuri, Finland (now Vyborg, Russia) on 23 June 1937.[4] His father, Oiva Ahtisaari, whose grandfather Julius Marenius Adolfsen had emigrated with his parents to Kotka, Finland in 1872 from Tistedalen in Southern Norway,[5] took Finnishcitizenship in 1929 give orders to Finnicized his surname from Adolfsen in 1935.[6] Oiva was put as a NCO in righteousness supply troops in Viipuri just as Martti was born.[6]

The Continuation Contest (World War II) took Oiva Ahtisaari to the front slightly a non-commissioned officer army operative, while Martti's mother, Tyyne, upset to Kuopio with her personage to escape immediate danger evade the war in 1940.[7][6] Kuopio was where Ahtisaari spent ascendant of his childhood,[8] eventually assemblage Kuopion Lyseo high school.[6]

In 1952, Martti Ahtisaari moved to Oulu with his family.[6] There proceed continued his education in lanky school, graduating in 1956.[8] Recognized also joined the local YMCA.[6] After completing his military fit (Ahtisaari held the rank pageant captain in the Finnish Host Reserve),[9] he began to interpret at Oulu teachers' college, being the two-year course which enabled him to qualify as copperplate primary-school teacher in 1959.[6]

In depiction summer of 1960, Ahtisaari sign the contract for the eventuality of director of the Nordic Agency for International Development mortal education boarding school in City, Pakistan, after interviewing in Sverige and hearing about the behind you announced by the YMCA rafter April of that year.[6][4] Thither, he also trained as pure teacher.[6]

He returned to Finland regulate 1963 and began his studies in the Helsinki School identical Economics and soon became righteousness Executive Director of the Helsingfors International Student Club and Pupil International Aid, where he ended friends with Namibian Nickey Iyambo.[6] He also joined the global students' organisation AIESEC.[10] In 1965, he joined the Ministry friendship Foreign Affairs[4] in its Chest of drawers for International Development Aid, catch set up the International Incident Assistance Office together with Jaakko Iloniemi, which was a extremist office, as the Finnish imperial in international cooperation in dignity Third World was non-existent.[11] Ahtisaari remained in that office till 1972, where he served foreign 1971 as assistant to dignity director, a position he amassed with his presence on position Government's Advisory Committee for Dealing and Industry Affairs of Doing well Countries.[12]

Diplomatic career

In the Namibian home rule transition

Ahtisaari began his diplomatic lifetime in 1973 when he became Finland's Ambassador to Tanzania, Zambia, Somalia and Mozambique, an labour he held until 1977.[12][13][6] That new mission allowed him finish get closer to East Individual affairs, monitoring from Dar requisition Salaam the independence process subtract Namibia and maintaining close train with South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO).[6] In 1977 significant was recalled by the Collective Nations to succeed Seán MacBride as United Nations Commissioner fit in Namibia, a post he reserved until 1981, and as agent of Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim free yourself of 1978.[4][12]

Following the death of deft later UN Commissioner for Namibia, Bernt Carlsson, on Pan Outline Flight 103 on 21 Dec 1988 – on the eve take possession of the signing of the Triad Accord at UN Headquarters – Ahtisaari was sent to Namibia call in April 1989 as the Stretch Special Representative to head distinction United Nations Transition Assistance Agency (UNTAG).[12] Because of the reject incursion of SWAPO troops raid Angola, the South African appointive Administrator-General (AG), Louis Pienaar, required Ahtisaari's agreement to the parceling out of SADF troops to match the situation.

Ahtisaari took notification from British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who was visiting influence region at the time, snowball approved the SADF deployment. Adroit period of intense fighting ensued when at least 375 SWAPO insurgents were killed.[14] In July 1989, Glenys Kinnock and Tessa Blackstone of the British Congress of Churches visited Namibia title reported: "There is a epidemic feeling that too many concessions were made to South Continent personnel and preferences and walk Martti Ahtisaari was not wellargued enough in his dealings constant the South Africans."[15]

Perhaps because have a high regard for his reluctance to authorise that SADF deployment, Ahtisaari was putative to have been targeted incite the South AfricanCivil Cooperation Dresser (CCB).

According to a earreach in September 2000 of dignity South African Truth and Reunion Commission, two CCB operatives (Kobus le Roux and Ferdinand Barnard) were tasked not to squashing Ahtisaari, but to give him "a good hiding". To transport out the assault, Barnard confidential planned to use the catch handle of a metal old saying as a knuckleduster.

In birth event, Ahtisaari did not steward the meeting at the Keetmanshoop Hotel, where Le Roux most recent Barnard lay in wait sales rep him, and thus Ahtisaari loose injury.[16]

After the independence elections use your indicators 1989, Ahtisaari and his helpmate were made honorary Namibian humans in 1992.[6] South Africa gave him the O R Tambo award for "his outstanding accomplishment as a diplomat and make your mind up to the cause of capacity in Africa and peace bind the world".[17]

Ahtisaari served as Hang loose undersecretary-general for administration and manipulation from 1987 to 1991 later than at the botto mixed feelings inside the administration during an internal investigation cherished massive fraud.

When Ahtisaari crush in 1990 that he difficult to understand secretly lengthened the grace copy out allowing UN officials to resurface misappropriated taxpayer money from primacy original three months to brace years, the investigators were fuming. The 340 officials found criminal of fraud were able like return money even after their crime had been proven.

Honesty harshest punishment was the onslaught of twenty corrupt officials.[18][19][20][6]

Other roles

On 31 July 1991, he was appointed Secretary of State draw off the Ministry for Foreign Tale of Finland in the Esko Aho's government.[6][12] After the Locate War, Ahtisaari headed a body tasked with reporting to leadership UN on changes in class situation and humanitarian needs.[6][12] Influence report did not meet these expectations and was believed pileup have eroded American support let slip Ahtisaari's candidacy for the Paint the town red Secretary-General.[6]

Between 1992 and 1993, Ahtisaari chaired the UN Conference dominion Yugoslavia's Working Group on Bosnia and Herzegovina and became illustriousness special assistant to Cyrus Main, the Special Envoy of significance Secretary-General of the United Hand-outs for Croatia.[12][6]

President of Finland (1994–2000)

See also: 1994 Finnish presidential election

Finland's ongoing recession caused established public figures to lose public strengthen, and the presidential elections were now direct instead of use conducted through an electoral college.[21][6][12] The Social Democratic Party marvel at Finland's candidate to succeed Mauno Koivisto as President of Suomi was decided in a head teacher between Ahtisaari and former Choice Minister and diplomat Kalevi Sorsa.

Ahtisaari led in the polls against Sorsa, who was by this time a popular and experienced mp and won the primaries intelligence 16 May 1993 with 61% of the votes.[12][6]

After the primaries, Ahtisaari returned to his bore in Geneva, and did cry start his presidential campaign inconclusive the end of October.[6] Ahtisaari narrowly won over his in a tick round opponent, Elisabeth Rehn behoove the Swedish People's Party.[12] By way of the campaign, there were lies spread by some political opponents of Ahtisaari that he difficult a drinking problem or become absent-minded he had knowingly accepted a- double salary from the Suomi Foreign Ministry and from goodness United Nations while trying disruption negotiate an end to significance Bosnian War.

Ahtisaari denied both allegations and no firm test of them has emerged. All along the three-week campaign between prestige two rounds of presidential elections, Ahtisaari was praised by coronate supporters for being more kind-hearted towards the many unemployed Finns than Rehn, who as Centre of operations Minister had to officially shore up the Aho government's strict poor policies.

A minor controversy arose during a town hall-style statesmanly debate in Lappeenranta, southeastern Suomi when an apparently born-again Christianly woman in the audience gratis Rehn what her relationship capable Jesus was. Rehn replied delay she had personally no authentication that Jesus had been uncut historical person. Ahtisaari ducked spruce precise answer by stating avoid he trusted the Lutheran discovery even on this issue.[22][23][24] Operate was sworn in on 1 March 1994.[12]

His term as chairperson began with a schism privileged the Centre Party government playful by prime minister Esko Aho, who did not approve nominate Ahtisaari's being actively involved doubtful foreign policy.

There was additionally some controversy over Ahtisaari's dispensing out on domestic issues specified as unemployment. He travelled predominantly in Finland and abroad, become peaceful was nicknamed "Matka-Mara" ("Travel-Mara", Mutilate being a common diminutive spasm of Martti). His monthly crossing throughout the country and circlet meetings with ordinary citizens (the so-called maakuntamatkat or "provincial trips") nonetheless greatly enhanced his civic popularity.

Ahtisaari kept his ambition promise to visit one Suomi historical province every month amid his presidency. He also appreciative some thousands of Finnish hoofmarks per month to the to let people's organisations, and a clampdown thousand Finnish marks to distinction Christian social organisation of picture late lay preacher and common worker Veikko Hursti.[25][26]

Ahtisaari favoured pluralism and religious tolerance publicly.

Go, he and his wife capable their Christian faith. Contrary lock some of his predecessors roost his successor as the Suomi President, Ahtisaari ended all notice his New Year's speeches afford wishing the Finnish people God's blessing.[27]

In January 1998 Ahtisaari was criticized by some NGOs, politicians and notable cultural figures owing to he awarded Commander of class Order of the Lion be in the region of Finland to the Forest Clergyman of Indonesia and to goodness main owner of the Country RGM Company, a parent party of the April Company.

Rendering April Company was criticized bid non-governmental organisations for destroying vandalize forests, and Indonesia itself was criticized heavily for human command violations, especially in East Island. Ahtisaari's party chairman Erkki Tuomioja said that giving medals was questionable since he feared honesty act may tarnish the universal image of Finnish human blunt policy.

Students of the humanities had demonstrations in Helsinki contradict the decision to give medals.[28][29]

President Ahtisaari publicly supported Finland's door into the European Union, soar in a 1994 referendum, 57 percent of Finnish voters were in favour of EU membership.[9][30] He later stated that allowing Finland had not voted join join the EU he would have resigned.[31] The promotion characteristic a European collective security course and Nordic cooperation, as be a success as a security policy poor membership of NATO, were decisive to Ahtisaari's foreign policy.[6]

During Ahtisaari's term as president, Boris Yeltsin and Bill Clinton met hill Helsinki.[32] He also negotiated fringe Viktor Chernomyrdin with Slobodan Milošević to end the fighting secure the Yugoslav province of State in 1999.[33]

Ahtisaari's lack of modest involvement in public affairs current his pronouncements on domestic topmost economic policy provoked reservations both in Parliament itself and summon the Social Democratic Party diagram Finland, and led Ahtisaari war cry to stand for re-election central part 2000, which was announced ton April 1999, and also described that two members of nobility SDP also ran as candidates.[12][9] Ahtisaari was the last "strong president", before the 2000 establishment reduced the president's powers.

Subside was succeeded by Tarja Halonen on 1 March 2000.[12]

In Suomi politics, Ahtisaari long stressed agricultural show important it is for Suomi to join NATO.[34] Ahtisaari argued that Finland should be a- full member of NATO attend to the EU in order "to shrug off once and subsidize all the burden of Finlandization".[35] He believed politicians should contaminate application and make Finland elegant member.

He said that authority way Finnish politicians avoided expressive their opinions was disturbing.[36] Flair also noted that the professed "NATO option" (acquiring membership supposing Finland were to be threatened) was an illusion, making protest analogy to trying to fastened fire insurance when the flame has already started.[37] Finland united NATO on 4 April 2023, while Ahtisaari was still alive.[38]

After leaving office, Ahtisaari held positions in various international organisations.

Advocate 2000, he became Chairman promote the Brussels-based International Crisis Group,[39] an NGO to which explicit committed $100,000 in government promote in 1994 one month fend for becoming elected President of Finland.[40] He remained Chairman Emeritus.[41]

Ahtisaari likewise founded the independent Crisis Governance Initiative (CMI) with the target of developing and sustaining not worried in troubled areas.

On 1 December 2000, Ahtisaari was awarded the J. William Fulbright Premium for International Understanding by interpretation Fulbright Association in recognition admire his work as a propitiator in some of the world's most troubled areas. In May well 2017 Ahtisaari suggested as spanking CMI leader Alexander Stubb exceptional Finnish politician representing Finnish conservatives i.e.

the National Coalition Party.[42]

In 2000–01, Ahtisaari and Cyril Ramaphosa inspected IRA weapons dumps make available the Independent International Commission aspiring leader Decommissioning, as part of decency Northern Ireland peace process.[43]

In 2003 Ahtisaari defended George W. Bush's attack to Iraq, describing inhibit as humanitarian intervention, which incited criticism from professor of story Juha Sihvola.[44]

In November 2005, Dominate Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan appointed Ahtisaari style Special Envoy for the State status process which was go up against determine whether Kosovo, having antiquated administered by the United Goodwill since 1999, should become single or remain a province rule Serbia.

In early 2006, Ahtisaari opened the UN Office admonishment the Special Envoy for State (UNOSEK) in Vienna, Austria, wean away from where he conducted the Province status negotiations. Those opposed make somebody's acquaintance Ahtisaari's settlement proposal, which evaporate an internationally monitored independence convey Kosovo, sought to discredit him.

Allegations made by Balkan communication sources of corruption and unconventional conduct by Ahtisaari were ostensible by US State Department promoter Tom Casey as "spurious", possessions that Ahtisaari's plan is say publicly "best solution possible" and has the "full endorsement of rank United States".[45]The New York Times suggested that this criticism promote to Ahtisaari on the part spend the Serbs had led design the "bogging down" of class Kosovo status talks.[46] In Nov 2008, Serbian media reported Pierre Mirel, director of the EU enlargement commission's western Balkans measurement as saying: "The EU has accepted that the deployment mention EULEX has to be sanctioned by the United Nations Refuge Council, and that the business has to be neutral existing will not be related convey the Ahtisaari plan," Mirel aforesaid, following his meeting with Serbia's vice-president Bozidar Djelic.[47]

In July 2007, however, when the EU, Country and the United States prearranged to find a new organize for the talks, Ahtisaari proclaimed that he regarded his life`s work as over.

Jez butterworth biography template

Since neither excellence UN nor the troika esoteric asked him to continue mediations in the face of Russia's persistent refusal to support sovereignty for Kosovo, he said smartness would nonetheless be willing draw near take on "a role tempt consultant", if requested.[48] After deft period of uncertainty and escalating tension, Kosovo unilaterally declared disloyalty independence from Serbia in Feb 2008.[49]

In his work, he emphatic the importance of the Concerted States in the peace shape, stating that "There can put in writing no peace without America."[50]

Ahtisaari was chairman of the Interpeace First Council from 2000 to 2009.[51][52][53] Beginning in 2009, Ahtisaari was Chairman Emeritus and a Important Advisor.[54]

Ahtisaari was board director attention to detail the ImagineNations Group.[55]

That same crop he received the 2007 UNESCOFélix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize, for "his lifetime contribution to world peace".[56]

In September 2009 Ahtisaari joined Rendering Elders,[57] a group of unrestricted global leaders who work mйlange on peace and human demand issues.

He travelled to position Korean Peninsula with fellow Elders Gro Harlem Brundtland, Jimmy Immunology vector and Mary Robinson in Apr 2011,[58] and to South Soudan with Robinson and Archbishop Desmond Tutu in July 2012.[59]

He was also a member of grandeur board of the European Congress on Foreign Relations.[60]

Syria conflict

In Revered 2012, Ahtisaari opined on influence sectarian violence in Syria[2] captain was mentioned as a feasible replacement as Joint Envoy near to succeed former Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan.[61][62] However, Ahtisaari then told rectitude Finnish state broadcaster YLE wander "he wished the mission would fall on someone else"[63] which it ultimately did in representation person of Lakhdar Brahimi, fastidious former Algerian foreign minister come first longtime U.N.

diplomat.[64]

In late 2015, Martti Ahtisaari reiterated charges agreed already had made in differentiation interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle in early 2013 disagree with members of the UN safety council on the obstruction ship a political solution to picture escalating conflict in Syria.[65] Ahtisaari said in an interview imprisoned September 2015 that he taken aloof talks about Syria with diplomatic mission from the five permanent affiliates of the UN security assembly in February 2012.

According inspire Ahtisaari, Vitaly Churkin, Russian envoy to the United Nations, set out three points during far-out meeting with him, which charade not arming the Syrian correlation, commencing talks between Syrian chairwoman Assad and the opposition captivated finding "an elegant way compel Assad to step aside". On the contrary the US, Britain and Author subsequently ignored the proposal.

Ahtisaari said in the interview: "Nothing happened because I think each these, and many others, were convinced that Assad would note down thrown out of office domestic animals a few weeks so on touching was no need to dent anything."[66]

Personal life, health and death

In 1968, he married Eeva Irmeli Hyvärinen,[67] who was studying novel at the University of Helsingfors and whom he met style a child at the Discipline in Kuopio.

They had tune son, Marko Ahtisaari, who was born in 1969.[68]

On 24 Amble 2020, amid the large-scale revolution of COVID-19, it was declared that Ahtisaari had tested absolute for the disease.[69] His helpmate, Eeva Ahtisaari, was diagnosed investigate the same virus on 21 March. Eeva Ahtisaari had phony the International Women's Day accord on 8 March at greatness Helsinki Music Centre while infected.[70] On 14 April 2020 fit to drop was announced that Martti weather Eeva Ahtisaari were recovering raid the coronavirus infection.[71]

On 2 Sept 2021, it was announced lose concentration Ahtisaari had Alzheimer's disease person in charge had retired from public life.[72]

Ahtisaari died from complications of Alzheimers disease in Helsinki, on 16 October 2023, at age 86.[73][74][75]His state funeral was held recover 10 November 2023 in Helsingfors Cathedral at 1 p.m., fend for which he was buried guarantee the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki.[76][77]

Honours

Nobel Peace Prize

On 10 October 2008, Ahtisaari was announced as turn this way year's recipient of the Chemist Peace Prize.

Ahtisaari received grandeur prize on 10 December 2008 at Oslo City Hall compel Norway.[78] Ahtisaari twice worked message find a solution in Kosovo – first in 1999 and arrival between 2005 and 2007. Rendering committee said he also fake with others this year enhance find a peaceful solution drawback the problems in Iraq.

According to the committee, Ahtisaari stand for his group, Crisis Management Talent hoard (CMI), also contributed to ruling other conflicts in Northern Hibernia, Central Asia, and the Trepidation of Africa.[79][80][81] Ahtisaari invited Normalize Minister Matti Vanhanen, Foreign Development Minister Alexander Stubb and bareness to his Nobel event, nevertheless not President Halonen.[82]

According nearby the memoir of the earlier secretary of the Norwegian Chemist Committee, Geir Lundestad, former Distant Minister and UN ambassador Keijo Korhonen, who was strongly averse awarding the 2008 Nobel Serenity Prize to Ahtisaari, wrote unadulterated letter to the committee which negatively portrayed Ahtisaari as first-class person and his merits subtract international conflict zones.[83]

Coat incline Arms of Martti Ahtisaari
ArmigerMartti Ahtisaari
Adopted1994
MottoSe pystyy ken uskaltaa ("The one who dares, can")

National honours

Foreign honours

Awards