So much of the 100 LIVES initiative is about gratitude – we tell stories of people who lived through unspeakable evil thanks to the heroic acts of others. We believe that kindness must be recognized and rewarded, and with the World Humanitarian Day upon us, here is a list of prizes established specifically for that purpose.
1. The Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize, as well as other Nobel Prizes, was created by the Swedish armaments manufacturer turned philanthropist Alfred Nobel. The award is given annually to individuals who have "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” The task of selecting the winner is assigned to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, members of which are appointed directly by the Parliament of Norway.
Despite its peaceful name, the prize has been the subject of many controversies, mostly due to its political nature.
Notable winners: Mother Teresa, Oscar Arias
2. The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, or simply The Sakharov Prize, is named after Soviet nuclear physicist Andrei Sakharov. It was established by the European Parliament in 1988. The goal of the prize is to honor individuals who are committed to the defense of human rights and freedom of thought. The candidates for the shortlist are chosen by the European Committee on Foreign Affairs and the European Committee on Development. The prize has also been awarded to organizations, the first being the Argentine Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in 1992.
Some Sakharov laureates still face harsh political oppression.
Notable winners: Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan
3. The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity
The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity is a new global award that will be given annually to people who put themselves at risk to enable others to survive. The recipients will be recognized for the exceptional impact their actions have made on preserving human life and advancing humanitarian causes, having overcome significant challenges along the way. The prize was established by Vartan Gregorian, Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan, the co-founders of 100 LIVES.
The winners will receive a $100,000 award as well as the unique ability to continue the cycle of giving by nominating an organization that inspired their work and is consistent with the spirit of the Prize for a $1,000,000 grant.
Notable winners: The first Aurora Prize will be awarded on April 24th 2016 in Yerevan, Armenia.
4. The Wallenberg Medal
The Wallenberg Medal of the University of Michigan is bestowed upon those whose outstanding actions in the moment of need have helped protect the defenseless and rescue the oppressed. It is named after Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who managed to save tens of thousands of lives during World War II by issuing protective passports and sheltering Jews in buildings marked as Swedish territory.
The Wallenberg Executive Committee, which includes members of the Ann Arbor community, students and faculty, is responsible not only for selecting the annual medalists, but also for raising the funds for the endowment.
Notable winners: Elie Wiesel, Aung San Suu Kyi
5. The Sydney Peace Prize
The Sydney Peace Prize is awarded by the Sydney Peace Foundation, a not-for-profit organization associated with the University of Sydney. Those who receive it have greatly contributed to global peace, improved personal security and fought poverty. Another important feature of this prize is that the recipient should have responsibilities that allow him or her to use it to contribute to this cause, promoting peace and justice.
The City of Sydney makes a significant financial contribution to the award.
Notable winners: Mary Robinson, Sekai Holland
6. The Edelstam Prize
The Edelstam Prize is dedicated to Harald Edelstam, a Swedish ambassador whose bravery and professionalism in the fight for human rights are well documented. To win the prize, an individual has to have demonstrated the same courage and adherence to the high moral standards as the Ambassador himself. The prize can be awarded to either a private person or an employee of a governmental, international or national organization who has found a way, however unconventional, to defend human rights in the country or countries where they were violated. A typical candidate has been able to help those who were threatened or even directly save a human life.
The winner is chosen by an international jury chaired by Edelstam’s granddaughter Caroline Edelstam. Every member of the jury represents a certain part of the world – Europe, Asia, Oceania, etc.
Notable winners: Bahareh Hedayat, Benjamin Manuel Jerónimo
7. The Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is awarded by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, known simply as the Hero Fund. The perfect candidate must be a civilian who voluntarily risked his or her life to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the life of another person. Valid evidence is required; the deed should be brought to the Commission’s attention within two years. The award was inspired by Selwyn M. Taylor and Daniel A. Lyle, who perished in rescue attempts following a mine disaster in Harwick, Pennsylvania.
As of June 2015 the Hero Fund has awarded 9,775 medals. Some 20.7 percent of the awards have been given posthumously.
Notable winners: Harold H. Thompson, John Barry Boyarski
8. The Civil Courage Prize
The Civil Courage Prize, inspired by the life of Soviet dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn, is an award that acknowledges steadfast resistance to evil at great personal risk. The goal of the prize is to showcase individual heroes who deserve recognition. The winner of the award, established in 2000 by the Northcote Parkinson Fund, is chosen among the nominations submitted by the international non-governmental organizations. The ceremony is held in New York or London, and keynote speakers in the past have included British Home Secretary Douglas Hurd and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.
In 2007 the fund’s name was changed to The Train Foundation in honor of the Train family and their contribution over the years.
Notable winners: Denis Mukwege, Anna Politkovskaya
9. The Freedom Award
The International Rescue Committee (IRC), founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, gives its Freedom Award to people who have made an extraordinary contribution to the cause of refugees and human freedom. According to the IRC, "The Freedom Award reveals the remarkable ability of an individual to shape history and change for the better a world moving toward freedom for all."
Interestingly, the first ever prize was presented in 1957 to Willy Brandt, who later won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Notable winners: Angelina Jolie, Bill Clinton
10. The Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders
The Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders was established in 1993 in honor of the former Secretary-General of Amnesty International, British human rights advocate Martin Ennals. The goal of the prize is to protect activists who demonstrate exceptional courage in defending and promoting human rights. The so-called “protective publicity” achieved by the winner of the award acts as a virtual shield defending him or her from potential oppression and violence many human rights defenders face.
The award comes with a cash prize of 20,000 Swiss francs to be used by the winner to support his or her work in the field of human rights.
Notable winners: Harry Wu, Lidia Yusupova
11. The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award
The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award was established in 1984 by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization, known then as the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial. The goal of the prize is to honor people from around the world who have demonstrated courage and made a major contribution to the human rights cause in their country.
Not only do the laureates get the money, but they also receive access to the fund’s resources and technologies to advance their humanitarian work.
Notable winners: Sonia Pierre, Librada Paz
12. The United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights
The United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights was founded in 1966 following the United Nations General Assembly resolution №2217. The award is meant to "honor and commend people and organizations which have made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of the human rights embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other United Nations human rights instruments.”
Unlike many other humanitarian prizes and awards, including the Nobel Prize, the UN prizes are non-monetary in nature. The only thing a winner receives is an engraved metal plaque - and everybody’s respect, of course.
Notable winners: Benazir Bhutto, Malala Yousafzai