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The Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award 1992 was presented to de Cuéllar for his worthy and valuable efforts towards World Peace, for his combination of forces for the good aimed against aggression, and for to respect for human rights. in addition, the Roosevelt Foundation noted that during the Pérez de Cuéllar era, the UN organization grew into an effective and relevant instrument. Special mention was made of the Secretary General’s concern with the Cyprus question, the intervention of blue helmets in the Killing Fields of Cambodia, developments around Namibia and South Africa, the dialogue between North and South, and tensions around the Gulf.

International Four Freedoms Award
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar

More about De Cuéllar

The Peruvian diplomat dr. Pérez de Cuéllar (1920) served his country at various posts abroad, before finding his final calling in the work of the United Nations. among other places, he was ambassador to Switzerland, the Soviet Union, Poland and Venezuela. His involvement with the UN dates to 1946, when he was 25 years old. He was then part of the Peruvian delegation to the General Assembly. It was not until 1971 that he became the permanent UN representative for his country. In 1974 he led a UN mission to Cyprus, then torn by civil war. Five years later he became Under-Secretary General for political matters. In 1982, this was followed by his appointment to Secretary-General of the UN. He was to hold the job until 1992. Back in Peru he took up various activities and found himself even more intensively in the limelight. His lectures in international law attracted wide attention. Pressure was put on him to concern himself in domestic policies which were dominated by arbitrariness and corruption. In 1995, he was nominated for the presidency, but machinations put Fujimori into power. After Fujimoris’s removal in 2000, Pérez de Cuellar briefly led a transitional government. In 2001 he returned to the foreign service and was ambassador in Paris for four years. There too he was active for UNESCO.

For his great merits in the field of international cooperation Javier Pérez de Cuéllar received the Olof Palme Prize and the Jawaharlal Nehru Award. The Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award 1992 was presented to him for his worthy and valuable efforts towards World Peace, for his combination of forces for the good aimed against aggression, and for to respect for human rights. in addition, the Roosevelt Foundation noted that during the Pérez de Cuéllar era, the UN organization grew into an effective and relevant instrument. Special mention was made of the Secretary General’s concern with the Cyprus question, the intervention of blue helmets in the Killing Fields of Cambodia, developments around Namibia and South Africa, the dialogue between North and South, and tensions around the Gulf.

In his word of thanks Dr Pérez de Cuéllar said he had never doubted he was following the right course. ‘But the hard facts of everyday have occasionally obscured the ideals in the area of human rights and the distribution of riches. Nevertheless, I think that, especially nowadays, the realization of the Four Freedoms is a realistic objective.’

His presenters at the ceremony on Saturday, June 13 in the Abbey Church in Middelburg were Mrs Franklin Delano Roosevelt jr and Hans van den Broek, the Dutch minister of foreign affairs.

Positions and publications

Dr. De Cuéllar held the following positions:

  • Ambassador to Switzerland, Soviet Union, Poland and Venezuela (1940-1946)
  • Member of Peru's delegation to UN General Assembly (1946)
  • UN representative to Peru (1971)
  • Under-secretary general for political affairs (1975)
  • Ambassador to Paris (2001-2004)

He wrote the following books:

  • Manual de derecho diplomático (1964)
  • Pilgrimage for Peace: A Secretary-General's Memoir (1979)
  • Our Creative Diversity: Report of the World Commission on Culture and Development (1995)

In his acceptance speech, Dr. De Cuéllar said he was always sure of the correctness of the goal and course. 'But, the hard facts of the day have sometimes supplanted the ideal image in the field of human rights and the distribution of wealth. Nevertheless, I believe that, especially in these times, the realization of the Four Freedoms is a realistic goal.

Other laureates from 1992

Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Rostropovich
Freedom of Speech Award

Mstislav Rostropovich

Terry Waite
Terry Waite
Freedom of Worship Award

Terry Waite

Jan Tinbergen
Jan Tinbergen
Freedom from Want Award

Jan Tinbergen

Lord Carrington
Lord Carrington
Freedom from Fear Award

Lord Carrington