Professor Wangari Maathai, Kenya's celebrated environmentalist and the first African woman winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, launched her autobiography on Saturday at a press conference held in her hometown Nyeri, central Kenya.

Reading extracts from the book, entitled "Unbowed --- One Woman's Story", Maathai explained that she chose her hometown to launch her autobiography because this is the place where she went to school to learn how to write and how to read, and it is also the place where she received the phone call from the Nobel Committee in Oslo that she had been awarded the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

"Unbowed --- One Woman's Story" is a compelling and insightful account of Maathai's eventful life that was inspired by numerous events and people that she encountered in her journey to the top.

"I hope it will inspire those who will experience it, and especially the young, to explore and utilize the power inside them and the opportunities which come their way, whoever they are and wherever they live," Maathai said.

"I hope it will be an inspiration to all children and youth, and indeed people of all ages and status. I hope it will also move my fellow Kenyans, Africans and people throughout the world to take advantage of whatever situation we find ourselves in and utilize it to improve our own lives and that of others," she added.

The autobiography is a response to many questions people asked her since her winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Maathai said, adding that she had been working on the book in the last two years and the process is a joint effort by her and the helping hands from Random House, the British publisher of the book.

When asked why the book is named "Unbowed," Maathai explained that it's always not easy to choose a proper phrase to summarize a book and she finally came up with the word because she thought about the trees she planted. The trees sway in the wind, and when you think they will be broken, they finally withstand the test and grow, she said.

"I hope I'm like the trees, unbowed in life even in the face of adversity," Maathai said.

As she has always commemorated significant moments, Maathai marked the unveiling of her autobiography by planting a tree at the Outspan Hotel in her hometown. Two years ago, she planted a tree in the same hotel where she spoke to the Nobel Committee in Oslo over phone when she first got the news of her winning the prize.

Besides the English version, her autobiography will be published in Dutch, Spanish, Korean, Finnish, Greek, Italian, French, German and Japanese.

Maathai initiated the Green Belt Movement in Kenya in 1977 and has received public acclaim for her efforts to rehabilitate the environment through the community-based, development and environmental organization. One of the major accomplishments of the organization is that over 30 million trees have been planted since its establishment.

Looking into the future, Maathai said she will continue her work in the Green Belt Movement, and as a Nobel peace laureate, she will try her best to raise awareness on environmental protection and rehabilitation. "I will continue to be a busy environmentalist, and a busy Nobel peace laureate," she said.

Source: Xinhua