Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize
Encyclopedia
The Professor Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize (Raftostiftelsen) is a human rights
award established in the memory of the Norwegian
human right activist, Thorolf Rafto
.
in order to promote the fundamental human rights of intellectual and political freedom. Today, the foundation is based at the Human Rights House in Bergen
, Norway
. The major work of the foundation, including the organization of the award ceremony is done by a small team of professional staff and volunteers. The award ceremony takes place at Den Nationale Scene
in Bergen annually in November.
The initial idea of the Rafto Prize was to provide a basic informative platform for the laureates that would help to receive further attention from the international media and support from political and non-political organisations. By awarding the Rafto Prize, the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights seeks to bring attention to independent voices that due to oppressive and corruptive regimes are not always heard. For example, four Rafto Laureates have subsequently received further international assistance and were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
. Aung San Suu Kyi
, Jose Ramos-Horta, Kim Dae-jung and Shirin Ebadi
were awarded the Rafto Prize prior to the Nobel Peace Prize
.
was a professor of Economic History
at the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH). He was also well known for his political activism in Eastern Europe
, especially in Hungary
, Czechoslovakia
and Poland
. During a visit to Prague
in 1979 to hold a lecture for students excluded from universities for political reasons, Rafto was arrested and brutally beaten up by the communist security police. Inflicted injuries dramatically weakened his health. On 4 November 1986 Thorolf Rafto died.
However, his friends and colleagues agreed to establish a foundation that would continue Rafto’s work such as promotion of freedom of speech and political expression in Eastern Europe
. It was also decided to introduce a prize for human right activists. Nevertheless, the fall of the Iron Curtain and consequential democratization of Eastern European states led to a reconsideration the status of the foundation. Meanwhile it had opened new possibilities to work with other geographical regions in a promotion of human rights. Already in 1990, the Rafto Prize was awarded to a Burmese democratic leader, Aung San Suu Kyi
who, in the following year 1991, received the Nobel Peace Prize
for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. For the first years, the foundation was based at the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. From 1997, the Rafto Foundation was relocated to the Human Rights House of Bergen
, Norway.
. Among the invited guests are representatives from Bergen municipality and the Norwegian government, academics, supporters and partners of the Rafto Foundation and family members of the Rafto family.
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
award established in the memory of the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
human right activist, Thorolf Rafto
Thorolf Rafto
Thorolf Rafto was a human rights activist and professor in Economic History at the Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen, Norway. During a visit to Prague in 1979 to hold a lecture for students excluded from the universities for political reasons, Rafto was beaten up by the communist security...
.
Organization
The prize is awarded annually by the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, which was founded in the humanistic tradition of the Helsinki AccordsHelsinki Accords
thumb|300px|[[Erich Honecker]] and [[Helmut Schmidt]] in Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Helsinki 1975....
in order to promote the fundamental human rights of intellectual and political freedom. Today, the foundation is based at the Human Rights House in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The major work of the foundation, including the organization of the award ceremony is done by a small team of professional staff and volunteers. The award ceremony takes place at Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...
in Bergen annually in November.
The initial idea of the Rafto Prize was to provide a basic informative platform for the laureates that would help to receive further attention from the international media and support from political and non-political organisations. By awarding the Rafto Prize, the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights seeks to bring attention to independent voices that due to oppressive and corruptive regimes are not always heard. For example, four Rafto Laureates have subsequently received further international assistance and were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
. Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
, Jose Ramos-Horta, Kim Dae-jung and Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,...
were awarded the Rafto Prize prior to the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
.
History
Thorolf RaftoThorolf Rafto
Thorolf Rafto was a human rights activist and professor in Economic History at the Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen, Norway. During a visit to Prague in 1979 to hold a lecture for students excluded from the universities for political reasons, Rafto was beaten up by the communist security...
was a professor of Economic History
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
at the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH). He was also well known for his political activism in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, especially in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. During a visit to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in 1979 to hold a lecture for students excluded from universities for political reasons, Rafto was arrested and brutally beaten up by the communist security police. Inflicted injuries dramatically weakened his health. On 4 November 1986 Thorolf Rafto died.
However, his friends and colleagues agreed to establish a foundation that would continue Rafto’s work such as promotion of freedom of speech and political expression in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
. It was also decided to introduce a prize for human right activists. Nevertheless, the fall of the Iron Curtain and consequential democratization of Eastern European states led to a reconsideration the status of the foundation. Meanwhile it had opened new possibilities to work with other geographical regions in a promotion of human rights. Already in 1990, the Rafto Prize was awarded to a Burmese democratic leader, Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
who, in the following year 1991, received the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. For the first years, the foundation was based at the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. From 1997, the Rafto Foundation was relocated to the Human Rights House of Bergen
Human Rights House of Bergen
Human Rights House is based in Bergen, Norway. The Human Right House was established in memory of Thorolf Rafto’s son, Egil Rafto and officially was opened in 1999 by Aung San Suu Kyis youngest son, Kim Aris...
, Norway.
Ceremony
The Rafto Prize is awarded annually on the first Sunday in November and since 1990, the official ceremony takes place at the National Theatre of BergenDen Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...
. Among the invited guests are representatives from Bergen municipality and the Norwegian government, academics, supporters and partners of the Rafto Foundation and family members of the Rafto family.
Criteria and Nomination Process
The annual deadline for nominations is 1 April. Voluntary organisations, institutions and individuals worldwide, with knowledge or interest in human rights are allowed to nominate candidates for the Rafto Prize. Former recipients of the prize can also nominate candidates, although candidates who are nominated by themselves or by their staff or by honorary officers will not be taken into consideration. After the deadline, all applications are carefully considered by the prize committee and the final decision is usually released at the press conference at Rafto House in September.List of Laureates
| Year | Laureate(s) | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Bishop José Raúl Vera López | Mexico |
| 2009 | Malahat Nasibova Malahat Nasibova Malahat Nasibova , is a journalist and human rights activist who was awarded the Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize in 2009 for her "courageous and unwavering struggle for a free and independent press... |
Azerbaijan |
| 2008 | Pastor Bulambo Lembelembe Josué | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 2007 | National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights is an Indian non-party based secular platform with offices in 14 states of the country. The objectives of NCDHR are the following: to hold the State accountable for all Human Rights violations committed against Dalits; to sensitize civil society by raising... |
India |
| 2006 | Thich Quang Do Thich Quang Do Thích Quảng Độ is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk.In 2002, he was awarded the Homo Homini Award for human rights activism by the Czech group People in Need, which he shared with Thích Huyền Quang and Nguyen Van Ly... |
Vietnam |
| 2005 | Lidia Yusupova | Russia |
| 2004 | Rebiya Kadeer Rebiya Kadeer Rebiya Kadeer is a prominent Uyghur businesswoman and political activist from the northwest region of Xinjiang Autonomus Region of the People's Republic of China... |
China |
| 2003 | Paulos Tesfagiorgis Paulos Tesfagiorgis Paulos Tesfagiorgis is an Eritrean human rights activist.He established the only PFDJ licensed Regional Centre for Human Rights and Development in Eritrea and was a co-founder and subsequently head of the Eritrean Relief Association during the Eritrean independence war.He has a masters degree in... |
Eritrea |
| 2002 | Sidi Mohammed Daddach Mohammed Daddach Sidi Mohammed Daddach is a Sahrawi human rights defender & political activist, and former political prisoner for 24 years, being the second longest-condemn of a political prisoner in Africa, after Nelson Mandela... |
Western Sahara |
| 2001 | Shirin Ebadi Shirin Ebadi Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,... |
Iran |
| 2000 | Kim Dae-jung | South Korea |
| 1999 | Gennady Grushevoy Gennady Grushevoy Gennady Grushevoy is Professor of philosophy at the Belarusian State University since 1973. Elected member of the Belarus Parliament in 1990. Chairman of the board of Children of Chernobyl since its foundation in 1989. Recipient of Rafto Prize .-References:* . Rafto Foundation for Human Rights... |
Belarus |
| 1998 | ECPAT ECPAT ECPAT is an international non-governmental organisation and network headquartered in Thailand which is designed to end commercial sexual exploitation of children... |
Thailand |
| 1997 | The Romani people, represented by Ian Hancock Ian Hancock Ian Hancock is a linguist, Romani scholar, and political advocate. He was born and raised in England, and is one of the main contributors in the field of Romani studies.... |
Romani people |
| 1996 | Palermo Anno Uno Palermo Anno Uno Palermo Anno Uno is an Italian anti-mafia organization, based in Palermo, Sicily. It is an umbrella organization for different NGOs opposing organized crime... |
Italy |
| 1995 | Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia The Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia works to expose human rights violations within the Russian military.The organization was founded in 1989. Before 1998, it was known as the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia.... |
Russia |
| 1994 | Leyla Zana Leyla Zana Leyla Zana , is a Kurdish politician, who was imprisoned for 10 years for her political actions which were claimed to be against the unity of Turkey. When she was a member of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, she was banned from joining any political party for five years with the Constitutional... |
Turkey |
| 1993 | The people of East Timor East Timor The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor... , represented by José Ramos-Horta |
East Timor |
| 1992 | Preah Maha Ghosananda Preah Maha Ghosananda Maha Ghosananda, , was a highly revered Cambodian Buddhist monk in the Theravada tradition, who served as the Patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism during the Khmer Rouge period and post-communist transition period of Cambodian history... |
Cambodia |
| 1991 | Jelena Bonner | Russia |
| 1990 | Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained... |
Burma |
| 1989 | Doina Cornea Doina Cornea Doina Cornea is a Romanian human rights activist and French professor. She was notable as a dissident during the communist regime of Nicolae Ceauşescu.-Dissidence under communism:... FIDESZ Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union The Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union is a major conservative party in Hungary. At the 2010 election in Hungary, Fidesz-KDNP won a two-thirds majority of seats by gaining 52% of the votes, with Fidesz winning 227 seats and KDNP winning 36... (Dr Peter Molnar Péter Molnár Péter Molnár is a Hungarian academic and intellectual, working on questions related to communication law and freedom of speech.Molnár graduated from the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest in 1987.... ) |
Romania Hungary |
| 1988 | Trivimi Velliste Trivimi Velliste Trivimi Velliste is an Estonian politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1992 to 1994 and as the Estonian Ambassador to the United Nations from 1994 to 1998... |
Estonian SSR |
| 1987 | Jiří Hájek Jirí Hájek Jiří Hájek was a Czech politician and diplomat. Together with Václav Havel, Zdeněk Mlynář, and Pavel Kohout, Hájek was one of the founding members and architects of Charta 77.-Early political career:... |
Czechoslovakia |