Rigoberta Menchú was formally recognized for her diligent efforts in 1992 when she received the Nobel Peace Prize for “her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples.” This momentous occasion was documented in her autobiography, I, Rigoberta Menchú, in the following passage:
I slept peacefully for a couple of hours, and was awoken by the telephone. My compañeros had been up all night, drinking coffee. The journalists, shivering with cold, were waiting outside in their cars. I got up and went to answer. It was the Norwegian ambassador in Mexico.
"In nine minutes," he said, "it will be announced that you have won the Nobel Peace Prize. Let me be the first to congratulate you. You have nine minutes to prepare yourself, after that the news will be out."
I still felt I had to ask if the news was official. He laughed. "I am the Norwegian ambassador in Mexico," he said. "It is my job to give you the news.”
I still couldn't believe it. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I didn't know what to do. I just froze. I hung up and everyone asked, "What happened?"
I replied, "Well! We've got the Prize."
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