This year’s ‘Alternative Nobels’ announced

Press Release Right Livelihood Award Foundation

A Pacific island state foreign minister who has challenged the world’s nuclear powers through unprecedented legal action; an indigenous leader who fights to protect the Arctic in the face of climate change; an Ugandan human rights activist working against discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities in Africa; and an Italian doctor who has saved countless lives in war-torn countries are this year’s Laureates of the Right Livelihood Award, widely known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’

The 2015 Right Livelihood Honorary Award goes to

Tony de Brum and the people of the Marshall Islands “in recognition of their vision and courage to take legal action against the nuclear powers for failing to honor their disarmament obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.” (Foto: public domain; Tony de Brum (l) with US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern)

Three Laureates will share the cash award of SEK 3 million (ca. EUR 320 000):

The jury recognizes Sheila Watt-Cloutier (Canada) “for her lifelong work to protect the Inuit of the Arctic and defend their right to maintain their livelihoods and culture, which are acutely threatened by climate change.” (Foto: Stephen Lowe)

The Jury awards Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera (Uganda) “for her courage and persistence, despite violence and intimidation, in working for the right of LGBTI people to a life free from prejudice and persecution.” (Foto: Christine Dierenbach)

The Jury recognises Gino Strada , co-founder of Emergency, (Italy) “for his great humanity and skill in providing outstanding medical and surgical services to the victims of conflict and injustice, while fearlessly addressing the causes of war.” (Foto: Emergency)

The 2015 Right Livelihood Awards were recently announced in Stockholm at the Swedish Foreign Office International Press Centre by Ole von Uexkull, Executive Director, and Dr Monika Griefahn, Chair of the Board of the Right Livelihood Award Foundation. The Awards will be presented at a ceremony in Stockholm on 30 November2015, hosted by the Society for the Right Livelihood Award in the Swedish Parliament.

Ole von Uexkull said: “This year’s Right Livelihood Laureates stand up for our basic rights – be it the rights of indigenous peoples or LGBTI communities, or the right of all citizens to live in a world free from the scourges of war and climate chaos. With their tireless work, on the frontlines and in courts, the Laureates uphold the values that led to the creation of the United Nations seventy years ago. In this year of global humanitarian crises, they provide an inspiring response to the defining challenges of our time.”

Monika Griefahn extended her thanks not only to the winners of the Right Livelihood Award, but was also glad to hear that the National Dialog Quartet Tunisia received the Nobel Peace Prize 2015. She wishes the quartet all the best for their efforts to build up a pluralistic democracy.

For further information about the Right Livelihood Award please visit www.rightlivelihood.org

Please klick for the Swedish, Spanish, Italian or French version of the press release.