Right Livelihood Award
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Right Livelihood Award, established in 1980 by Jakob von Uexkull, is an award that is presented annually, usually on December 9, to honour those "working on practical and exemplary solutions to the most urgent challenges facing the world today".
An international jury, invited by the five regular Right Livelihood Award board members, decides the awards in such fields as environmental protection, human rights, sustainable development, health, education and peace. The prize money is shared among the winners, usually numbering four, and is SEK2 million (US$310,000).
The ceremonial event has taken place in the Stockholm building where the Swedish Parliament convenes, usually during the first week of December. However, the Right Livelihood Award has no special standing with the parliament, and is only allowed to use the premises on the same conditions as any other organization. The prize is sometimes called the Alternative Nobel Prize,[1][2] although it differs from the Nobel Prizes in
- not having its selection process carried out by bodies jointly entrusted, by units possessing sovereignty, with ongoing specialist duties in the corresponding fields
- making individual or shared awards amounting to about 5% as large as Nobel ones
- neither being a fulfillment of Nobel's bequest nor affiliated with the Nobel Prize committees.
The award states that, in the 21st century, the "greatest benefit to mankind" may be found in different fields than in the traditional sciences or in strict categories: the vast majority of award winners work for grassroots non-governmental organisations in their countries. The foundation understands its awards as a complement to the Nobel Prizes.[3]
Since 1980, the foundation has presented, as of 2007, awards to 119 individuals and organisations. Its purpose is both to bestow prizes and publicize the work of its recipients' local solutions to problems that also exist world-wide.
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[edit] Laureates
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Alternative Nobel Prize" awarded in Sweden. 8 December 2006. NewsAhead World News Forecast story. Accessed October 24, 2007.
- ^ "...the Danube Circle, has become the first East European group to win the Swedish Right Livelihood Award (known as the alternative Nobel Prize)" from Letter to the editor, March 9, 1988, The New York Times. Letter. Accessed October 24, 2007.
- ^ 2007 Right Livelihood Awards highlight solutions to global challenges. Right Livelihood Foundation (2007-10-02). Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Right Livelihood Award - Official site
- Complete list of recipients with descriptions
- Jakob von Uexkull - Founder
- S. Pathiravitana (2007): History of the Award. A Great Son of Lanka, Sri Lanka Daily News. Accessed 2008-06-03
