Press Release: Leifr Eiriksson Peace Award to US Congresswoman Barbara Lee

[press at peace2000.org]

PRESS RELEASE - Please distribute to your media contacts

For Immediate Release 14. September 2002.
Issued by the Peace 2000 Institute - www.peace2000.org - www.althing.org -
Email: info at peace.is
More Information: Thor Magnusson - Telephone Iceland: +354 557 1000 or +354
552 2000.


Leifr Eiriksson Peace Award to US Congresswoman Barbara Lee

[Saturday 14 September 2002 - Reykjavik, ICELAND] - The Leifr Eriksson
Peace Award 2002 goes to US Congresswoman Barbara Lee for her sincere and
honest dedication to world peace and in particular for her foresight and
courageous vote in the US Congress a year ago today, the 14th. September
2001.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee was the only member of the US Congress to oppose
Res.64 and the sole voice against 420 other members of the house that
seriously undermined the world peace by approving use of United States
Armed Forces against an undisclosed number of nations and peoples of the
world in an open-ended action by the President and significantly reducing
Congress's authority in approving such future military action.

People like Congresswoman Barbara Lee give humanity a hope that one day
peace may be enjoyed by mankind.  Her courageous vote in Congress to oppose
the potential of excessive use of military force by the President, against
420 cowardly votes of other members of the house, and her words voiced in
those extremely tense and difficult circumstances following the horrific
terrorism acts of 11th September 2001, demonstrated a deep wisdom and
exceptional commitment in the pursuit of human rights and peace.  These
words shall remain with us as a guideline for the future: "As we act, let
us not become the evil that we deplore."

The Leifr Eiriksson award is being presented this year for the second time
by the Peace 2000 Institute - www.peace2000.org.  The award is named after
Leifr Eiriksson, son of Iceland, discoverer of Vinland - the American
continent in the year 1000. On the same year, the Vikings of Iceland agreed
to solve their differences on religion peacefully and lay down their arms
at the Althing - www.althing.org . This became the cornerstone of a culture
of peace that has lasted ever since. While violent wars plagued the world,
Icelanders became the only nation in the world to never carry weapons. The
Leifr Eiriksson Peace Award is presented to those people around the world
who today carry on this culture of peace.

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Peace 2000 is a non-profit organization with associates in more than 40
countries. Founded 1995 at a town meeting set by the Icelandic Minister for
the Environment with 500 people and speakers from organizations around the
world, including UNESCO, World Court Project and the Chernobyl Childrens
Project. Peace 2000 has been awarded for its Santa aid flights to war torn
areas done under a special permission of the UN Security Council, by the
Gandhi Foundation, UNESCO and the Greek Orthodox Church who decorated its
founder with their Holy Gold Cross for humanitarian work at a ceremony in
memory of Mother Theresa and Princess Diana. Peace 2000 has worked together
with several other charities, including the Red Cross and the Red Crescent.

www.peace2000.org  - www.althing.org - Email: info at peace.is  - Tel: +354
552 2000