This year's Golden Image Awards (GIA) as won by Guinean soldiers who lost their loves here in a plane crash on their way to participate in the anniversary of the Armed Forces of Liberia, and several other national and international personalities.

Guinean Ambassador Abdullah Dore received the awards on behalf of the dead soldier expressed appreciation to Liberia and its people for the humanitarian role they played in the funeral and burial of the dead soldiers.

"I am happy to receive this but it is not for Guinean alone. It is also for you Liberians because you people sympathized with us and played major role in every step of the way" Ambassador Dore told President Sirleaf who presented the awards. Individual recipients of the 2013 awards came from North America, Africa and Asia while Nigeria, United States of America, People Republic of China, Ghana and Guinea.

These countries received the awards because of the pivotal role they played in the lives of people, institutions and/or their communities. National individuals also received for distinguished services they rendered in the post war recovery process of Liberia.

The awards were presented in the areas of peace and security, education, empowerment, activities, leadership, development and arcs. Ambassador Julie Endee, head of Crusaders for Peace who organized the occasion said the 3rd Annual Award ceremony is an event, which was initiated in 2011 as part of programs marking the commemoration of Liberia's independent awards.

The awards, she added is to bestow honor to President Sirleaf in the hope of keeping the spotlight on her profile for her accomplishment and contribution in the political and social sectors of the country.

Ambassador Endee said the awards is to sound as a wakeup call to Liberians irrespective of political, social, ethnic and religious differences, to reclaim, respect and uphold traditional and cultural heritage.

She said the award is also intended to support the Liberia government in its fight against the social menace called rape on the one hand, and to buttress effort by the government through its recovery and image building process, on the other hand while at the same time making collective strife towards achieving peace and reconciliation.

"The quest to sustain and institutionalize the GIA as a national distinction must be an outcome of the combined efforts of every Liberians," Ambassador Endee said.

She called on young innovative Liberians to begin thinking about stepping in her shoes and the shoes of other legendary Liberians if the GIA dream must be kept alive.

Ambassador Endee said the GIA is a national social development agenda her agency is aspired to uphold adding: "with the support of the Liberian government and its partners, the dream will be kept alive.

"As a start, we want to attach cash to the Award so that recipients can undertake meaningful projects back in their countries and communities as their way of leaving their footprints on the sand of time," she said.

"Additionally, we intend to establish a national center for the GIA to house a small museum equipped with artifice, relics of our cultural identity and monuments or our great honorees and great leaders of the world," she said.

She reported that the process leading to the hosting of the GIA 2013 began in January 2013 and a network of researchers including Liberians in the Disoapora and Liberian organizations abroad such as ULAA, local and international media professionals, corporate organizations, student groups, women organizations and representatives of traditional leaders are mobilized and assigned to research individuals.