Angolan cartoonist Sérgio Piçarra was awarded the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law for his commitment to the promotion of freedom of expression in Angola. It is the first time an Angolan has won the prize. “The Franco-German Prize is awarded every year to personalities who have made an exceptional contribution to the protection and promotion of human rights under the rule of law in their countries and internationally,” French Ambassador Daniel Vosgien told Euronews. “Among the more than 70 entries received by the French and German Ministries of Foreign Affairs, 15 winners were chosen.” From his home in Angola, Piçarra gives shape to his caricatures after looking at the headlines in national and international newspapers. “For me, it represents a way of expressing my critical view of what goes on in society, in politics, in everything, but especially, in politics, because this type of cartoon, the editorial cartoon, is dedicated exactly to… the humorous, satirical analysis of political events,” he told Euronews. He began his career as a cartoonist in 1990, giving life to the well-known character “Mankiko, the undefeatable,” a lazy, lying, problematic individual who criticizes the diverse political and social contexts of Angolan reality. Besides Mankiko, Sérgio Piçarra gave life to another character, Esperança, a young girl who carries her younger brother on her back, who draws society’s attention to another very common reality in Angola: poverty.

Source: Africa News and Euronews