Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Sept.22(Greenpost)–The Laureates of this year’s Right Livelihood Award, widely known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’, has just been announced at the Swedish Foreign Office International Press Centre .

Syria Civil Defence(The White Helmets) won the prize for their outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians from the destruction of the Syrian civil war.

Egypt’s Mozn Hassan and Nazra for Feminist Studies, Russia’s Svetlana Gannushkina  and Turkish Cumhuriyet, or Republica in English won this year’s awards for their brave action in defending human rights.

The announcement was made by Ole von Uexkull, Executive Director, and Dr Monika Griefahn, Chair of the Right Livelihood Award Foundation.

The international Jury convened in Überlingen, Germany from 8-11 September to select the recipients of the 2016 Right Livelihood Award from a total of 125 nominations from 50 countries.

Established in 1980, the Right Livelihood Award honours and supports courageous people and organisations offering visionary and exemplary solutions to the root causes of global problems.

In addition to presenting the annual award, the Right Livelihood Award Foundation supports the work of its Laureates, particularly those who may be in danger due to the nature of their activities.

Today, there are 162 Right Livelihood Award Laureates from 67 countries who have been recognised for their outstanding vision and work on behalf of people and the planet.

Previous Laureates include environmentalists David Suzuki (Canada) and Vandana Shiva (India), human rights activists Jacqueline Moudeina (Chad), Dr Denis Mukwege (DR Congo) and Bianca Jagger (Nicaragua), as well as Swedish children’s book author Astrid Lindgren and high-profile US whistleblowers Daniel Ellsberg and Edward Snowden.

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