DiCaprio and Farrow pay tribute to Maathai

Celebrity activists Leonardo DiCaprio and Mia Farrow have paid tribute to Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, who died on Sunday (25Sep11).

Maathai won the prestigious honor in 2004 for her campaigns to save Kenyan forests, becoming the first African woman to receive the award.

She had been battling ovarian cancer in recent years and passed away at a hospital in Nairobi, aged 71.

After learning the news, DiCaprio took to his Twitter.com page to tell fans, "A great visionary & environmentalist. She will be missed."

Farrow adds, "'Great' - we use that word so freely, then in the face of true greatness, it feels inadequate. But Wangari Maathai was indeed a great woman."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement, "The world has lost a powerful force for peace, democracy and women's rights.

"Her death has left a gaping hole among the ranks of women leaders, but she leaves behind a solid foundation for others to build upon. I was inspired by her story and proud to call her my friend."