The Ghanaian Millennium Excellence Foundation honored the work of Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, a native of this African country and Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, with a special Prize for his commitment to the protection of justice, peace, the resolution of economic inequalities and the promotion of global solidarity.
In a note, “Vatican News” reported that the Prize was awarded to the Prefect during an official ceremony held on August 26, 2021, in the Academy of Sciences and Arts, in Accra, capital of Ghana. In his address, Cardinal Turkson said that to give meaning to the concepts of liberty and justice, “the country must guarantee the promotion of human dignity for all its citizens.”
Freedom “enables people to live a dignified life, whereas justice invites all to live with the awareness that we are relational beings.” He explained that the needs of others must be “respected because this makes a person just.”
“Vatican News” pointed out that the Cardinal urged Ghanaians not to lose sight of the country’s common good. “If Ghana’s Founding Fathers chose ‘Liberty and Justice” as the national motto, they knew what they were talking about, namely, they wished to enable us to promote and live our dignity. In fact, the highest form of justice is that which sees the promotion of liberty in support of one’s neighbor, in full respect of his needs.”
The Cardinal appealed to all to avoid plagues, such as corruption and fraud, and to practice justice among them.
The Millennium Excellence Foundation
Is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 by Ashim Morton, a businessman and architect by profession who lived in the United States for several years, before returning to Ghana to contribute to the country’s development. As a constant witness of the difficulties and cases of bad governance, present not only in Ghana but in the whole African Continent, Morton decided to turn around the perspective, highlighting in its place the successful businesses and making room for people that, selflessly, initiate positive changes in the whole territory. The Millennium Excellence Prizes are awarded every five years to institutions or people that contribute to national development.
Translation by Virginia M. Forrester
