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Sydney Peace Prize

Peace award

The Sydney Peace Prize is awarded by the Sydney Peace Foundation,{{cite web a non profit organisation associated with the University of Sydney. The prize promotes peace with justice and the practice of nonviolence. It aims to encourage public interest and discussion about issues of peace, social justice, human rights, and non-violent conflict resolution.{{cite web

Support

The City of Sydney is a major supporter of the Sydney Peace Prize. This involves a significant financial contribution along with other in-kind support in order to foster peace with justice.

The prize

Over three months each year, the Sydney Peace Prize jury – comprising seven individuals who represent corporate, media, academic and community sector interests – assesses the merits of the nominees' efforts to promote peace with justice. It is awarded to an organisation or individual:

who has made significant contributions to global peace including improvements in personal security and steps towards eradicating poverty, and other forms of structural violence
whose role and responsibilities enable the recipient to use the prize to further the cause of peace with justice
whose work illustrates the philosophy and principles of non-violence

Considerations

The jury has been prepared to make some controversial choices. Sydney Peace Foundation Founder, Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees, said, "The initiators of the Sydney Peace Prize aimed to influence public interest in peace with justice, an ideal which is often perceived as controversial. The choice of a non-controversial candidate for a peace prize would be a safe option but unlikely to prompt debate or to increase understanding. Consensus usually encourages compliance, often anaesthetises and seldom informs."

Prize winners

1998 – Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder of the Grameen Bank for the poor and Nobel Peace Prize recipient
1999 – Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize recipient
2000 – Xanana Gusmão, the poet-artist and president of East Timor
2001 – Sir William Deane, the former Governor-General of Australia
2002 – Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
2003 – Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian academic and human rights campaigner
2004 – Arundhati Roy, Indian novelist and peace activist
2005 – Olara Otunnu, United Nations Under Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict from Uganda
2006 – Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International
2007 – Hans Blix, chairman of the UN Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission
2008 – Patrick Dodson, chairman of the Lingiari Foundation, "father of reconciliation"
2009 – John Pilger, Australian journalist and documentary maker
2010 – Vandana Shiva, Indian social justice and environmental activist, eco-feminist and author
2011 – Noam Chomsky, American linguist and activist
2012 – Sekai Holland, Zimbabwean Senator
2013 – Cynthia Maung, Burmese doctor
2014 – Julian Burnside, Australian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate
2015 – George Gittoes, Australian artist who chronicles conflicts around the world
2016 – Naomi Klein, Canadian journalist, author and prominent activist for climate justice
2017 – Black Lives Matter, International civil rights activist movement{{cite news
2018 – Joseph E. Stiglitz, American economist and academic
2019 – Tarana Burke and Tracey Spicer, American founders of the #MeToo Movement
2020 – Midnight Oil, Australian rock band
2021–2022 – The Uluru Statement from the Heart
2023 – Nazanin Boniadi, British actress and activist
2025 – Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Gold medal for Peace with Justice

The foundation also occasionally awards a special gold medal for significant contributions to peace and justice. Winners of the gold medal include South African statesman Nelson Mandela, 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, Japanese Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda, WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, Costa Rican Christina Figueres and Australian band Midnight Oil.

Notes

References

Martin, Lisa. (30 April 2019). "Tarana Burke and Tracey Spicer win Sydney Peace prize for #MeToo work". The Guardian.
(13 October 2020). "Midnight Oil win Sydney Peace Foundation's gold medal for human rights". The Guardian.
(2021-05-26). "Uluru Statement from the Heart wins 2021 Sydney Peace Prize".
Zhou, Naaman. (2021-05-26). "Uluru Statement from the Heart awarded 2021 Sydney peace prize".
"Uluru Statement from the Heart wins 21-22 Sydney Peace Prize".
Khadem, Nassim. (25 October 2023). "Actress Nazanin Boniadi on why China shouldn't be mediator in the Middle East".
Whitfeld, Anna. (24 May 2025). "Sydney Peace Prize winner".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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