Commitment, courage and the idea of a better world: all of these distinguish the winners of this year’s Right Livelihood Awards. Among other things, the aid effort for refugees on the Mediterranean is recognized.
This year alone, over 2,300 people have drowned in the Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration. Refugees die because they often embark on a dangerous journey to a supposedly better future in boats that are far too full. While the migration issue is currently being intensively debated in politics, others are taking action.
SOS Méditerranée is an aid organization that says it has picked up more than 38,000 refugees on the Mediterranean and brought them to safety since it was founded in 2015. For this she is now receiving one of four Right Livelihood Awards, says Ole von Uexküll, managing director of the foundation:
The European external border is currently the deadliest border, and the number of deaths is particularly high in the central Mediterranean. SOS Méditerranée is committed to sea rescue. This is incredibly professional work to save human lives. But it is also work that gives these people a voice. And that was particularly important to our jury, to emphasize the human dignity of each individual.
Focus on the specific act
The European aid organization with country representatives in France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland is financed through donations. SOS Méditerranée intentionally does not work politically, but wants to save people, says Brida von Castelberg, board member of SOS Méditerranée Switzerland.
The award is important and brings “very great joy”, also in recognition of the work of the aid organization. “And it’s a good opportunity to show people once again what a humanitarian catastrophe is taking place in the Mediterranean every day.”
A long fight for a fundamental right
Three more Right Livelihood Awards will be given out this year: An honorary award goes to Eunice Brookman-Amissah from Ghana. The doctor advocates for legal and safe abortions. Their work has significantly reduced the number of deaths related to abortion in the region.
Eunice Brookman-Amissah has improved legal and safe abortion options in many African countries.
A healthy environment – none Naturalness
Two other awards are related to environmental protection, says Ole von Uexküll:
Mother Nature Cambodia and Phyllis Omido from Kenya were recognized by our jury for their work promoting the right to a healthy and clean environment. This is a right that is now recognized by the UN, but it always has to be fought for.
According to Uexküll, two particularly important and award-worthy examples: Phyllis Omido fights in Kenya against the environmental pollution caused by the recycling of car batteries – in her home village, many people fell ill and died as a result of lead poisoning. After years of protest, a law was passed that led to the closure of 17 recycling plants.
Since 2012, Mother Nature Cambodia has been mobilizing young people in the country to protect the environment. Among other things, the organization prevented the construction of a dam and ensured that the export of sand to neighboring countries was stopped, the mining of which had caused significant environmental damage.
The Cambodian environmental organization Mother Nature Cambodia was founded by young people – many were later imprisoned.
A vision for the future
Finding a better model of life for humanity is the vision of the Right Livelihood Award. It was founded in 1980 by the German-Swedish journalist and activist Jakob von Uexküll.
Because Uexküll actually wanted to award it as part of the Nobel Prizes, but the Nobel Foundation did not allow this, the prize is also called the “Alternative Nobel Prize” in German-speaking countries. This year’s winners will be honored on November 29th in Stockholm.