How digitalization can strengthen democracy – winners of the “Alternative Nobel Prize” announced

159 applications from 67 countries – four of which we have selected as winners of the 2025 Right Livelihood Award, also known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize.” They are all working against the unfortunate trend of division and autocracy. All four – and the people behind them – are committed to promoting vibrant democracy and collective action, climate protection, and human rights.

The award winners are:

• Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC, Oceania) and Julian Aguon (Guam), “for bringing climate justice before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to legally oblige states to protect the climate.”
• Justice For Myanmar, “for their courage and groundbreaking research exposing international financial support for the corrupt military junta.”
• Audrey Tang (Taiwan), “for her visionary use of digital technologies to strengthen democracy, engage civil society, and overcome social divisions.”
• Emergency Response Rooms (Sudan), “for building community-based emergency response systems to provide dignified care for millions of people amid war and state collapse.”

Although I have been volunteering for the “Alternative Nobel Prize” for 40 years now, I am impressed every year by the personalities we honor. This time, I am particularly fascinated by Andrey Tang from Taiwan, who has managed to use digitalization for something entirely positive. In Taiwan, her work has contributed significantly to the transparency of government actions, thereby greatly strengthening trust in the government. In 2014, it stood at 9 percent and has grown to more than 70 percent in 2020 thanks to measures to promote transparency. Citizens can now even participate in the legislative process via vTaiwan. Audrey Tang was Taiwan’s Minister of Digital Affairs until 2024. Tang now works with governments, civil society groups, and tech platforms to empower people to shape their own future. Her methods are being adapted in Asia, Europe, and the US. Audrey Tang was introduced at our annual presentation of the award winners at the Kulturhaus in Zurich by Lorenz Hilty, who held the professorship for computer science and sustainability at the University of Zurich until 2024.

Audrey Tang. Copyright: CC0

Elisabeth Stern from Klimaseniorinnen Schweiz (Climate Seniors Switzerland) was also there to introduce the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change. In 2024, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of Klimaseniorinnen, saying that Switzerland was violating the right to climate protection because it wasn’t doing enough to fight global warming. The committed women of retirement age see their victory in court as a victory for all generations and therefore stand in solidarity with the young people from the Pacific region who are fighting for the same rights.

Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change. Copyright: PISFFC

For the first time this year, we have a prize winner who remains anonymous. It would be too dangerous for the activists of “Justice For Myanmar” to show themselves; all their work is done anonymously. This is because they are not only taking on the military junta in Myanmar, but also its supporters in politics and business worldwide. Their important work involves uncovering international money flows, which has already led to criminal prosecutions. They want to use the truth to bring down the power structures in their country.

Illustration Justice für Myamar. Copyright: Justice For Myanmar

Gesine Krüger from the University of Zurich, an expert on Africa, was a guest at the announcement in Switzerland and introduced our award winners from Sudan. The Emergency Response Rooms network builds on local traditions of mutual aid in Sudan and is active with emergency response centers in all 18 states of Sudan. They therefore do valuable work in places where many international organizations often no longer have access. In addition to medical care, this includes food distribution, educational work, and psychosocial support.

Emergency Response Rooms. Copyright: LCC- Emergency Response Room of North Kordofan

With all the wars in the world, the conflicts in the Middle East, and the authoritarian structures developing in the world’s oldest democracy, it would be easy to lose faith in humanity and the good in people. But examples like these and the many award winners from previous years teach us better: fundamentally, we humans are deeply compassionate beings who need our community and want to feel safe and comfortable in it. Those who actively work to achieve this need all of our support in order to gain more visibility and continue their important work in the future.