The 2023 and 13th Edition of the Golden Image Award has bestowed upon the Liberia Foreign Minister, Amb. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., the Golden Image George Manneh Weah Presidential Leadership Award" in the national category.
The Golden Image Award is an integral part of the official celebration of the Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Liberia.
The award is classified into three categories including local, national and international. Some awardees included the Deputy Speaker of the 54th National Legislature, Cllr. Fonati Kofa, and the Chief of Mission and Change d'Affaires of the United States Embassy accredited near Monrovia, among others.
In a communication to Minister Kemayah, the Executive Director of Liberia Crusaders for Peace and Event Planner, Amb. Juli Endee, on behalf of the Secretariat of the Golden Image Awards, the Liberian Crusaders for Peace, in collaboration with the Government of Liberia, extended their warmest compliments and informed him of his selection as winner and recipient of the 2023 Golden Award in the national level category of Leadership.
"Your selection comes following a thorough research and vetting of names and profiles of individuals, organizations, and countries that were submitted by the network of national and international committee members to the National Secretariat of the Golden Image Award for scrutiny in September 2022 to February 2023". The letter further mentioned that Minister Kemayah's profile, which was read during the official award ceremony, proved captivating and possessed all the attributes listed in the selection criteria; hence, the committee selected him as the winner of the "H.E. George Manneh Weah Presidential Award".
Speaking during the award ceremony, Liberia's Culture Ambassador, Executive Director of Liberia Crusaders for Peace, and Event Organizer, Ambassador Juli Endee, recounted the many achievements of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Amb. Endee particularly restated what the former US Ambassador, McCarthy, said when he referenced the transformation that is taking place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Minister Kemayah, upon taking over the helm of power in 2020, embarked on a reform process. The minister is credited with reducing the passport price by 20% in all categories at no cost to the government's revenue, improving the ranking of the Liberian passport, and providing more scholarship opportunities to Liberians across the world. Currently, the Ministry is undergoing massive renovations that have not gone on since it was constructed more than fifty years ago.
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The Chief Convener, President George Manneh Weah in whose honor the award is named, presented the award to Minister Kemayah, an act pundit have described as a significant milestone and the highest level of recognition of Kemayah's reform initiatives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Recently, during the Independence celebration ceremony of the United States of America, Amb. Michael McCathy hailed the Foreign Minister for the level of reformation being carried out at the Ministry.
Making remarks, Foreign Minister Kemayah thanked Amb. Juli Endee and the Golden Image Award's family for their recognition and the value they continue to add to humanity by showcasing the diversity and beauty of Liberian society.
"We also like to thank you and your committee, Amb. Juli Endee, for sending three awards, through merit, of course, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: one to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an institution for the level of work being done there, to Deputy Minister Dweh Gray for her dedicated services in your own words, and one to me, your humble servant, for the level of reform at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
