Today marks the 50th anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib’s receiving the Julio Curie Award
Today is May 23. It is the 50th year of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s receiving the Julio Curie. On this day in 1973, this award was officially presented to Bangabandhu.
Bangladesh became independent in 1971 under the leadership of this undisputed leader. Just two years later, the Viswa Shanti Prishad (World Peace Council) officially awarded Bangabandhu the title of 'Julio Curie' internationally. At the meeting of the Presidential Committee of the World Peace Council, in the presence of about 200 members from 140 countries and based on consensus, it was decided to award the Julio Curie medal to Bangabandhu, taking into consideration the life philosophy of Bangabandhu, and the context of his leadership in the liberation war of Bangladesh. According to that decision, the World Peace Council announced the name of Bangabandhu as the recipient of the medal on 10 October 1972. And the next year on May 23, the then General Secretary of the Parishad, Ramesh Chandra, presented the medal to Bangabandhu in a grand ceremony at the Asian Peace Conference.
On that occasion, Ramesh Chandra said, Bangabandhu is not only of Bengal, he is of the world and he is the friend of the world. It was the first international medal won by a state leader in independent Bangladesh.
Before Bangabandhu received this medal, Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, Vietnam's struggle leader Ho Chi Minh, Chile's mass movement leader Salvador Allende, Palestine's humanitarian leader Yasser Arafat etc. received this medal. Basically, those who played a leading role in opposing imperialism and fascism and establishing humanity and world peace were awarded this medal. This medal has been awarded since 1950. During the liberation war, Bangabandhu established the foundation for easing tensions and establishing peace in the subcontinent through the Indo-Soviet Peace, Friendship and Cooperation Treaty 1971 and the Bangladesh-India Peace, Friendship and Cooperation Treaty 1972.
Also, following the non-alignment policy of the Bangabandhu government and the policy of taking a stand for peace and justice, Bangladesh got the status of a just country in the world assembly. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, announcing the foreign policy based on friendship to all, said that the world's biggest power is spending money to make weapons to kill people. If that money is given to poor countries, peace can be established in the world.
In that context, on October 10, 1972, Ramesh Chandra, Secretary General of the Peace Council in Santiago, Chile, presented a proposal to award the Julio Currie Peace Medal in recognition of Bangabandhu's contribution to the liberation movement of the Bengali nation and world peace at the meeting of the Presidential Committee of the World Peace Council.
The name of this medal in Bengali is called 'Julio Curie' but its French pronunciation is 'Jolio Curie'. After French physicist Jean-Frederic Joliot Curie died in 1958, the World Peace Council named their Peace Medal 'Joliot Curie' after him since 1959. Frederic’s original name was Jean Frederic Joliot. Irene Currie, wife of Frederic. She was also a scientist. After marriage, both Frederic and Irene took surnames, one being Jean Frederic Joliot Curie and the other Irene Joliot Curie. Later jointly they won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
Frederic Joliot Curie not only worked as a scientist during World War II, he also contributed by joining guerrilla forces and making tools for them. His contribution also facilitated the end of World War II. Ending this war was very important for establishing world peace. He himself was the president of the World Peace Council.
World peace was the principle of Bangabandhu's life. Bangabandhu also participated in the World Peace Council Conference held in Stockholm on April 5-9, 1956. In this context, he said, world peace is the principle of my life. I am with the oppressed, exploited and freedom fighting people, wherever they are. We want peace everywhere in the world to be consolidated.
Bangabandhu's interest in world peace has been noticed since his student days. Bangabandhu joined the 'Peace Conference of the Asian and Pacific Regions' held in China in October of the same year after he was released after serving a long period of imprisonment in the language movement. Attending this conference, he also had relevant discussions with peace leaders from 37 other countries.
Eminent people think that the liberation war of the Bengali nation against the invading Pakistani forces in 1971 was not only a struggle for freedom and self-determination. This struggle was the struggle of peaceful people against the occupying Pakistani forces and their international belligerent imperialism. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the main leader of that peace struggle. As a result, the World Peace Council on May 23, 1972 very justly awarded Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with international awards like the Joliot Curie Peace Medal for his contribution to the struggle for world peace and freedom.
Bangabandhu's Joliot Curie Peace Medal is therefore a matter of great honor for the entire Bengali nation in the world.