A man whose life has been one of dedicated service to the enrichment and betterment of all of humanity, is the 24th recipient of the Pearson Peace medal. Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor-General of Canada, made the presentation in her capacity as Honourary Patron of the United Nations Association in Canada on Thursday, Friday, 26 March 2004 at Rideau Hall. Evocative to Canadians of Lester Pearson, Stephen Lewis has come to represent Canada’s international leadership within the United Nations. His achievements in public and international service are great and varied: from early experiences in Africa; as a leader of the New Democratic Party in Ontario; a term as Canada’s Ambassador to the UN; service as Deputy Director of UNICEF; to his current assignment as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on HIV/AIDS in Africa.

In his present role, Stephen Lewis has moved carefully, but with passion and conviction, to exhort the world’s leaders, and the global community – touching the most hardened — to find the will and the means to defeat the pandemic which is wrecking such havoc, especially in Africa. He and his friends have also served by example through the establishment of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, dedicated to supporting the work against HIV/AIDS by Africans themselves, to cope with this modern scourge.