FIFA President congratulates Kofi Annan

Z?rich, 16 October 2001 - FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter has sent his congratulations to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his organisation on being named joint laureates of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. In a letter addressed to Kofi Annan, the FIFA President expressed his pleasure at the decision of the Nobel Prize Committee. “I would like to offer my most heartfelt congratulations on this award, which comes as deserved recognition of relentless endeavours for humanity and honours a symbol of tolerance and the visionary of a world that is more just, where each individual benefits from greater respect and can take pride in a mutual haven – the United Nations.”

The letter of the FIFA President ends: “I believe that today the co-operation between the United Nations and FIFA (. . .) takes on even greater significance and I remain convinced that football can and must play its part in bringing together the people and cultures of our world”.

FIFA began working in co-operation with the UN and UNICEF in 1999, and also participates in a polio campaign in Africa with the UN’s health organisation, WHO.