Marianna Vardinoyannis, Morissana Kouyate announced laureates of UN Nelson Mandela prize

Marianna Vardinoyannis of Greece and Morissana Kouyate of Guinea were on Friday (local time) announced the laureates of the United Nations 2020 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize by General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Xinhua reported.

Marianna Vardinoyannis of Greece and Morissana Kouyate of Guinea were on Friday (local time) announced the laureates of the United Nations 2020 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize by General Assembly President Tijj Muhammad-Bande, Xinhua reported.

Vardinoyannis is a Greek philanthropist and world advocate for human rights and the protection of children's health and welfare. For more than 30 years, she has been fighting childhood cancer and for a world without borders in health, helping thousands of children to be cured, said Reem Abaza, Muhammad-Bande's spokeswoman.

Kouyate is a leading advocate on ending violence against women and girls in Africa. He carried out exceptional efforts in the fight against harmful traditional practices, particularly female genital mutilation, she said.

The prize was established in 2014 by the General Assembly to recognise the achievements of those who dedicate their lives to the service of humty by promoting the purposes and principles of the United Nations while honouring and paying homage to Nelson Mandela's extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition, and social transformation.

The prize is awarded every five years. It was first awarded in 2015.

The laureates will be recognised at the General Assembly's annual commemoration of Nelson Mandela International Day, which, due to COVID-19, is being marked virtually on July 20. An in-person award ceremony will take place on a later date at UN Headquarters in New York, said the spokeswoman.

( With inputs from ANI )