To Mrs. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend

Villa Stuck. Prinzregentenstrasse 60, 81675 Munich May 30th 2013.

Speech by Svend Aage Nielsen.
Chairman of the Kennedy Society of Denmark.

Chair of Global Virus Network, Mrs. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. President of Global Virus Network, Sharon Hrynkow.
Ladies and gentlemen:

Thank you Chair and President that this honoring can take place here, where you, Kathleen, follow your father’s words “be kind to others and work for your country.” Here where the purpose of our Kennedy Society “to keep alive the good words and ideas of John and Robert F. Kennedy so that their good words can be translated into good deeds” is in good concert with the goals of Global Virus Network. (Applause)
When we in the Kennedy Society have made our choice we send the LAUDATION and ask the award winner: Do you want to receive this award? You answered, Kathleen:
“Thank you so much for your very wonderful letter.
I am certainly honored to receive such an award.”
This answer was also very wonderful for us, as was the appreciation from German Chancellor Willy Brandt (he was “ein Berliner”) who wrote “For this honor the Kennedy Society in Denmark has decided, I am delighted. Yours Willy Brandt.”
Pope John Paul II, President Václav Havel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu showed us also great honor by their reception of the award in Rome, Prague and London.  Desmond Tutu expressed he was “flabbergasted” by learning about our work.
Your beloved father, Kathleen, Senator Robert F. Kennedy in a speech called upon Israel to win the greatest victory of all: “The victory over war.” Several of our award-winners showed courage to want to win over the Cold War without war such as Willy Brandt, A. D. Sakharov, Pope John Paul II, Václav Havel, Mr. Gorbatjov.

You are woman number eight of our great award winners, after Queen Margrethe II, Denmark, UNICEF-ambassador Liv Ullmann and Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway, Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma, Mary Robinson, Ireland, Queen Noor, Jordan, Somaly Mam, Cambodia then you.
Because women can also be: Gentle Ladies and Profiles in Courage.
The LAUDATION for you shows you deserve the award so much.
Your work to reduce crime is great. Your article ‘Beyond Tragedy’ could no pastor express better, and here you are to prevent sickness.
For more than 40 years we received good letters from your family and from you. I was so thankful, when your father wrote to me about my book: “Kennedy’s Philosophy of Life Revolution of Love Visions of Peace:” “… thank you for the talent you have devoted to honoring President Kennedy… such a substantial work on his life and ideals means a great deal to us, we express our appreciation ...” Since you mailed me, Kathleen: “I hope the next time I visit your wonderful country, I can come visit you” I am “rejoicing in hope.”
When we awarded President Nelson Mandela your uncle Ted Kennedy, wrote, “Dear Mr. Nielsen! Thank you very much for… your continued work with The Kennedy Society. I am also pleased to hear you have awarded President Nelson Mandela your “Profiles in Courage” award. He is the most deserving and excellent addition to your list of outstanding winners” - For his work in the Senate we later awarded your Uncle Senator Edward M. Kennedy. (Applause)
I have read that the Global Virus Network has very great expectations to you, Kathleen, I quote “to bring global leaders together to support the mission of Global Virus Network.”
We all want to help you.
Dear Kathleen. Thank you so much for your kindness.
We want to continue your father’s work for justice and peace.                                    
Therefore it is ‘very wonderful’ for me
to hand over to you our international
“The Profiles in Courage Award,” based on the LAUDATION.
(Long standing applause.)