Kennedy Society of Denmark
Purpose: Keeping alive John F. and Robert F. Kennedy’s inspiration
and philosophy of life, so that their good words can be translated into good deeds.

Profiles in Courage Award, 1995

The Kennedy Society has decided to award Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway, with John F. Kennedy's book "Profiles in Courage" for the year 1995 for the following reasons: Through her contribution for years - nationally as well as internationally - Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland has shown courage to speak and work for ideas and attitudes which are similar to those of John F. and Robert F. Kennedy.
This was expressed by her great commitment to the United Nations, including her presidency in the commission for environment and development, which resulted in the report "Our Common Future" in 1987. At the "Oslo Conference for the Anatomy of Hatred" in 1990 it was expressed by her appeal to work for "greater justice, for human rights and for the increase of responsibilities in the future". On this occasion she also expressed - in accordance with the most courageous commandments in history: "We cannot meet the future with a feeling of hate - not even in front of our enemies."
Gro Harlem Brundtland was also the Prime Minister of Norway who assumed and carried the political responsibility for the courageous and epoch-making achievement, which resulted in a mutual recognition between Jews and Palestinians. In her speech at the UN Summit in Copenhagen on 11 March 1995, Gro Harlem Brundtland stated: "We live in a global neighbourhood. Our solidarity shall cross borders and generations. We will be haunted by a universal vicious circle if we continue to act as if the world can be based on separation of the few happy and the powerless poor." These words correspond closely to the words of John F. Kennedy on 20 January 1961: "If the free society cannot help the many who are poor, it can never save the few who are rich". In her speech in Oslo on 8 May 1995 Gro Harlem Brundtland showed the courage of being versatile in her comprehension of the efforts which led to the ending of the Second World War by thanking the Western Powers and also say: "We thank the Russian people for the enormous sacrifices they gave in the fight against Nazism."
Similarly John F. Kennedy acknowledged the contribution of the Russian people on 10 June 1963 at the American University, where he said:
"Never in the history of war has one nation suffered more than the Russian people suffered during Second World War. At least 20 million people were killed..." In his book "Profiles in Courage" John F. Kennedy writes: "A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures."
Gro Harlem Brundtland has done this for many years.