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Nominations are open for the 2008 United
Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights. The prize will be
awarded at an event at United Nations Headquarters in New York
on 10 December 2008, as part of the annual commemoration of
Human Rights Day which this year marks the 60th anniversary of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights was
instituted by the General Assembly in 1966 (Res. 2217/XXI of 19
December 1966), and was awarded for the first time on 10
December 1968 on the occasion of the commemoration of the
twentieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. Thereafter, the prize has been awarded in 1973, 1978,
1988, 1993, 1998 and then in 2003. The prize is honorary in
nature and is awarded approximately every five years to
individuals and organizations in recognition of outstanding
achievement in the field of human rights.
A special committee has been entrusted by the General Assembly
with the selection of laureates from nominations sought from
Member States, specialized agencies and non-governmental
organizations in consultative status and from other appropriate
sources, in accordance with the above-mentioned resolution. This
committee is composed of the President of the General Assembly,
the President of the Economic and Social Council, the President
of the Human Rights Council, the Chair of the Commission on the
Status of Women and Chairman of the Human Rights Council
Advisory Committee.
The Prize is an opportunity not only to give public recognition
to the achievements of the awardees themselves, but also to a
send a clear message to human rights defenders the world over
that the international community is grateful for, and supports,
their tireless efforts to promote all human rights for all.
For more information see:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/hrprize2008.aspx .
The closing date for receipt of
nominations is Tuesday, 15 July 2008.
You are encouraged to inform your network of professional
contacts in order to enable the widest field of candidates. |
