New York, Feb 06: The United Nations and a private group, Global Vision for Peace, announced creation of the 'Audrey Hepburn Peace Award' to honour artists who will serve the cause of humanity and world peace.

Those artists will be known as 'Artists of the United Nations’, drawing from the world of artists of letters, philosophy, visual arts and entertainment, and people in politics. The symbol adopted by Global Vision for Peace is a dove pin that was designed by Pablo Picasso. Artists who receive the dove pin will be called 'A Friend of the UN’. Actress Drew Barrymore, who attended the news conference at UN headquarters in New York, was given such a pin and was called 'A Friend of the UN’. Barrymore, who indicated she and 30 to 40 other artists will wear the pin at the 2004 academy awards in Los Angeles next month, said she became involved in global vision for peace after visiting the Dalai Lama, the Buddhist Tibetan leader, with other film activists.
''It is such a beautiful opportunity to wake every morning thinking what more can we do in this world to make it a more peaceful and more beautiful place,'' she said. She suggested putting little boxes in every corner so people can put in their wishes to protect the environment and animals, and their concern about ending the AIDS/HIV epidemic. ''I would like to do something there to help that,'' she said. ''When you do have an opportunity, it's so exciting, it's not a day wasted, it's a day we actually do something.'' Barrymore said she would prefer to be known as an artist than a celebrity because the latter has fame, but an artist can do things for the world. The project has received support from the Dalai Lama and five Nobel Peace Prize laureates, and artists like Robert Altman, Chris Cooper, Robert Graham, Susan Sarandon and Angelica Huston, organisers said. The family of the late Audrey Hepburn has given permission to both the UN and Global Vision for Peace to create an award for artists who are devoted to help humanity and promote world peace. Hepburn spent many years in her life to promote activities of the UN Children's Fund and the world body.
Bureau Report