Print

When the bicentenary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen is celebrated with a worldwide event in 2005, Mexico will contribute with a number of cultural projects. They are scheduled to take place during the bicentenary year and thus promote the wider awareness of the great Danish storyteller.

Yesterday, the Danish Ambassador to Mexico, Søren Haslund, presided over the appointment of the First Lady of Mexico, Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox, as Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador, which took place at the Presidential Palace in Mexico City.

Present at the ceremony was Secretary General of the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation, Lars Seeberg, and Director of Public Affairs for the Hans Christian Andersen bicentenary, Christian Have. They briefed the First Lady on the events set to take place in celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen and expressed their enthusiasm for the projects to be launched in Mexico.

Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox was presented with the official 24-carat red and white gold Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador needle and the official Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador needle designed by Danish designer Lin Utzon. Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox was appointed in recognition of the active role Mexico plays in the bicentennial celebrations in 2005. Since 2001 she has been married to the President of Mexico, Vicente Fox Quesada. She is 51 years of age and is the mother of three sons from a former marriage.


The appointment of Marta Sahagún de Fox in Mexico.
From left: Søren Haslund, Marta Sahagún de Fox, Christian Have, and Lars Seeberg.

As Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador, Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox will contribute to the wider awareness and appreciation of Hans Christian Andersen. With her prominence she will in an exemplary manor help generate interest in Hans Christian Andersen in Mexico and inspire people to read about Andersen and his numerous fairytales, tales, travelogues, etc. Additionally, her commitment as Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador represents an opportunity to forge closer ties between Mexico and Denmark.

Lars Seeberg, Secretary General of the 2005 Hans Christian Andersen Foundation states:

"Hans Christian Andersen is known by children and adults alike the world over - also in Mexico. The Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation is very honoured that Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox has accepted her nomination as Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador and thus contribute to the wider awareness and appreciation of the life and work of Hans Christian Andersen and of the humanitarian dimension of the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 bicentennial celebration - the worldwide struggle against illiteracy."

Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox is a resourceful personality. Not only is she respected for her political commitment, she also represents a new and modern era in Mexico. Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox is a visionary frontrunner. She is the public face on many humanitarian initiatives, and she encourages all Mexicans to address poverty, inequality and discrimination. She holds several prominent positions.

She has, for instance, since 2001 held the position as Honorary President of the National Council for Children and the Young (COIA), been member of the Honorary Council in the International Centre for Missing and Abused Children (ICMEC) and Permanent Honorary Member of the Latin American Women's Conference. Her commitment and initiative in addressing social needs among children and women especially has made Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox a worthy and very prominent Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador.

The HCA-abc Foundation was established on the 199th birthday of Hans Christian Andersen in relation to the upcoming 2005 celebration of the Hans Christian Andersen bicentenary. The foundation supports the humanitarian cause of addressing illiteracy among children, women, ethnic minorities and the young in the Third World. The foundation intends to continue its work long after the Hans Christian Andersen bicentenary.

Since Mrs Marta Sahagún de Fox embodies the message that lies in the celebration of the Andersen bicentenary, it is a special honour to appoint her as Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador With her work and commitment to social and educational issues, she helps make a difference. In her capacity as Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador she will help make further advancement in Mexico as well as the rest of the world by promoting the literacy programmes launched in the name of Hans Christian Andersen.

Print

Back