“I’m ecstatic, I can’t find any words”

Telephone interview with Mohamed Fadhel Mahfoudh

Telephone interview with, Mohamed Fadhel Mahfoudh, President of The Tunisian Order of Lawyers, following the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, 9 October 2015. The interviewer is Hélène Hernmarck Olsson from Nobel Media, and the following transcript is an English translation of the conversation in French.

[Mohamed Fadhel Mahfoudh] Hello?

[Hélène Hernmarck Olsson] Yes, good day, I am calling from the official website of the Nobel Prize and my name is Hélène. Congratulations.

[MFM] Hello, how are you?

[HHO] I am fine but how are you? Congratulations!

[MFM] Thank you very much. How very kind. I’m ecstatic, I can’t find any words. Really!

[HHO] Can I please ask you two questions? The first is; What does being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize mean to the continuation of the National Dialogue that you have initiated?

[MFM] First I believe that the Nobel Prize for us is a dedication to the process to reach unity, given the differences we have seen in Tunisia. A process that helps our country in aiming for a regime respecting democracy and freedom. I think that the role the National Dialogue, the Quartet, has taken on is very interesting, and very determined, and that we, with this voice, are on the right road to obtain democracy and freedom for this regime, which is what we have been aspiring for since the beginning.

[HHO] What do you think that the National Dialogue Quartet being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize indicates to the rest of the world?

[MFM] First I think this is a message to the world, to all the countries, to all the people that are aiming for democracy and peace, that everything can be solved by dialogue.
I also think that it this a message for political parties engaged in political conflicts that everything can be solved with dialogue. Everything can be solved in a peaceful climate. To engage with weapons does not lead anywhere.

[HHO] Thank you very much and once again congratulations.

Listen to the interview

Did you find any typos in this text? We would appreciate your assistance in identifying any errors and to let us know. Thank you for taking the time to report the errors by sending us an e-mail.