Graça Machel
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Graça Machel
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| In office July 18, 1998 – June 14, 1999 |
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| President | Nelson Mandela |
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| Preceded by | Winnie Madikizela-Mandela |
| Succeeded by | Zanele Mbeki |
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| In office November 11, 1975 – October 19, 1986 |
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| President | Samora Machel |
| Preceded by | none |
| Succeeded by | Marcelina Chissano |
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| Born | 17 October 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 |
Graça Machel (born Graça Simbine on 17 October 1945 in Incadine, Gaza Province, Mozambique) is the third wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela and the former widow of the late Mozambican president Samora Machel. She is the only person in the world to have been married to the presidents of two different nations. 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. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French, and her important languages Portuguese and her native Tsonga. 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. Her first husband died in a plane crash over South Africa in 1986.
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
- Mozambican Minister for Education
- Chairperson of National Organization of Children 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 the Secretary-General of the United Nations to chair a 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[2]
- Machel is a member of the Africa Progress Panel (APP), an independent authority on Africa launched in April 2007 to focus world leaders’ attention on delivering their commitments to the continent. The Panel launched a major report in London on Monday 16 June 2008 entitled Africa's Development: Promises and Prospects[3].
- Chancellor of the University of Cape Town
- Doutora Honoris Causa by University of Évora, Portugal, November 14th 2008
- On 28 August 2007 Graça Machel was made an honorary Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire at the request of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
[edit] The Elders
On 18 July 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. http://www.coe.int/t/e/north%2Dsouth_centre/programmes/7_north%2Dsouth_prize/winners_PNS.asp. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
- ^ http://www.unfoundation.org/about/board/machel.asp
- ^ APP, Press Release: Africa Progress Panel demands action on global food crisis "reversing decades of economic progress", 16 June 2008, http://www.africaprogresspanel.org/english/newsreleases.php
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