Golden Image Award To Honor Several

By Edwin G. Wandah
The head of the Crusaders for Peace, Ambassador Julie Endee, in association with her International Partners, has begun vetting some dignitaries and special international guests that will receive this year’s Golden Image Award-GIA.
According to Ambassador Endee, there will be 26 winners, with a lone candidate to receive the highest award, completing the list of those who will walk away with distinct honors. The honorees will also include organizations and countries based on best performances and significant marks made on the continent and beyond.
Although Ambassador Endee didn’t call names, but sources close to the Golden Image Awards Committee gave a gist that some international personalities will make the list of honorees; making it the first of its kind to have the event after 70 years of transition in Liberia.
Speaking at a press conference last Friday, Ambassador Endee said, from 2011 to date, there have been seven successful awards event held, with former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf being one of the highest recipients of such prestigious honor.
According to her, the first one was held in July of 2011 during the regime of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, where the Awards Committee received some praises for its diligent and orderly organization of those events which claimed both international and national attention.
Ambassador Endee said, from 2011 to now, the GIZ have honored former Nigerian President Olusegun Obassanjo, former South African President now late Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela, and other dignitaries including the USA Government, the People’s Republic of China, England, Germany, Australia, India, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Cameroun, Trinidad-Tobago, Jamaica, and the Republic of Garyana amongst others.
Naming those components of the GIA, Ambassador Endee said, the vision of the GIA was formulated and named Golden Image Award, which was headed by her, Ambassador Julie Endee as head and composed of local and internationals from diverse backgrounds. She further stated that local membership of the GIA Secretariat is also drawn from universities across Liberia, Local NGO’s such as the Liberia Crusaders for Peace, Women on the Move, Family Paradise, and Triple “Ts” International.
Those international memberships are the USA, China, England, Germany, Australia, India, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Cameroun, Trinidad-Tobago, Jamaica, and the Republic of Garyana to plan and partner with the Government of Liberia to implement GIA programs.
She named the awardee’s contribution to the educational sector, tangible development, better leadership and democracy as some of the criteria selected for honoring them. Ambassador Endee further stated that for transparency, nominations received after the due date of February are included in the following year’s nomination.
She further stated that consistence with the GIA Mission as mentioned earlier, additional components are attached to the criteria set by the Secretariat of GIA. She named awardees’ contributions to Peace, Health, Humanity and arts, amounting to eight components set for all awardees winning award to meet.
“We have further added the provision of scholarships, empowerment programs, construction of facilities for GIA National Secretariat including capacity building training facilities, GIA Media facilities (radio and television, and Newspaper), construction of GIA Theater, and the construction of monument for the image/face behind the award to beef up our program,” she stated.
The GIA boss said, this year’s event will focus two key categories which will support the Liberian Government through innovative activities, rebuild Liberia’s lost image after the 14-year of devastating civil unrest.
“The next part of this year’s award will look to honor several personalities and dignitaries for their excellent contributions to their various locals and field of operation and organizations and countries that have made outstanding contributions and positive to the peace of Liberia will be honored,” she stated.
During Ambassador Endee’s deliberation at the press conference which was marked with funfair and applauds from members of the Secretariat giving boost to Ambassador Endee’s message.
She said, her organization will continue to recognize those individuals, organizations and countries that have impacted communities, and support development which their contributions have gone unnoticed.
According to Ambassador Endee, the Award has been designed as an annual event, which is an integral part of Liberia’s Independence Day celebration and it will aspire to maintain this precedence every year in the hope of supporting national leadership to sustain the peace and elicit the confidence of the international community to work with the Government of Liberia and increase investment of the economy.
Meanwhile, the objectives of the GIA are to recognize Liberians and other nationals who have successfully impacted the lives of Liberians and others through continued sacrifices and public services while promoting peace, to support and motivate humanitarians in and around the world; and showcase the talents of Liberian and African artists like music, movie stars, dancers, and drummers, and providing the platforms for capacity building means to enhance their potentials for the future challenges.