Nominations Open for Individuals and Organizations for the Nansen Refugee Award 2012

Nominations are now open for the Nansen Refugee Award 2012 which is instituted to honor an individual or an organization each year in recognition of extraordinary and dedicated service to refugees and is the most prestigious honor conferred by UNHCR.

Formerly known as the Nansen Medal, this award is named after the late Norwegian polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen, the first League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the winner of the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize.

Nomination Process

Any person can nominate candidates (individuals, groups of people or organizations) involved in work supporting the cause of refugees to be considered for the Nansen Refugee Award.

 Whatever their creed, color, age or profession, every winner put in extraordinary effort and time to help the forcibly displaced around the world. More than 60 individuals, groups or organizations have won the Nansen Refugee Award since Eleanor Roosevelt became the first winner in 1954.

Nominations are encouraged for a variety of candidates, ranging from people who have exhibited extraordinary acts of courage, selflessness or dedication to government and political leaders, members of civil society and aid workers who have given life-long service to the refugee cause.

Self-nominations and nominations of current or former UNHCR staff are not encouraged.

Selection Process and Award Ceremony

The Award is bestowed annually by the Nansen Refugee Award Committee, which is chaired by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and comprises a number of personalities nominated by governments and international agencies.

Nominations are received by the Nansen Refugee Award secretariat, which conducts technical research to verify that the candidate exists and that they are eligible to be nominated.

A UNHCR advisory group meets to compile a short list of 10 candidates. This is reviewed in more depth before it is considered by the Committee and the laureate is selected. The Committee seeks to achieve a unanimous or majority decision.

When the laureate is selected, the person, persons or organization is informed of the decision, and the Committee waits for their acceptance.

The Award ceremony is normally held in October in Geneva. The award consists of a commemorative medal and a US$100,000 monetary prize donated by the governments of Norway and Switzerland.

For more information, visit this link.

Friends of Kamal Joumblatt Association seeks Nominations for the Prize for Human Rights in the Arab World

Friends of Kamal Joumblatt Association is currently inviting nominations from eligible individuals and organizations for the Kamal Joumblatt Prize for Human Rights in the Arab World. This award is offered by Friends of Kamal Joumblatt Association to recognize the status of the great leader, Kamal Joumblatt, and his leading role in defending humanitarian causes in various fields. This moral, independent prize is awarded to a suitable candidate once every two years based on objective of the association.

The award acknowledges the accomplishments of democratic movements for change in the field of human rights in the Arab World in 2010-2011. It encourages those who worked or are currently working for the rights of others in conditions hostile to fundamental human rights and who are in need of protection. The award is given to individuals and organizations that have made outstanding accomplishments (intellectual or field struggle) to defend human rights in the Arab world.

Award Objectives

• To honor individuals and organizations that are most giving, innovative and influential in the development and human progress.
• To keep up with the human rights movements and activities, to appraise the innovators and activists, and to motivate them to continue their achievements to accomplish promising humanitarian objectives.

Award Value

• USD 10000 for the winner, awarded with a certificate of appreciation.
• Certificates of appreciation and medals for the top three activists.

Award Categories

• Kamal Joumblatt Prize for Environment, Food and Health
• Kamal Joumblatt Prize for Human Rights in the Arab World
• Kamal Joumblatt Prize for Intellectual Achievements

General Conditions

• The candidate should be Arab, holding the nationality of any Arab country.
• The candidate must be an individual, a team, an institution, a group or an organization.
• The work (intellectual or field) done by the candidate should be peaceful and innovative, promoting and protecting human rights in accordance with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The organizers specially take into account the people who have been harmed or violated as a result of exercising their rights.
• Intellectual activity should have been published in any publication between 2010 and 2011.
• The field struggle must have occurred in 2010 or 2011.
• Achievements should be exemplary and should stimulate similar initiatives.

Award Presentation

The award will be announced and presented to the winner on March 16, 2012, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Kamal Joumblatt.

Last date for submitting the applications is January 31, 2012.

For more information, visit this link.

The Asian Media Information and Communication Centre seeks Nominations for AMIC Awards 2012

The Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) is a non-profit NGO that works for development of media and communication expertise in Asia. AMIC is a registered charity in Singapore and was founded in 1971 with the support from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), a private non-profit, public-interest foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany. Activities of AMIC cover the entire Asia-Pacific region. AMIC encourages ethical and social responsibility of the media to support democratic access and participation in media development and production.

AMIC is now inviting nominations for “The AMIC Media and Communication Advancement and Innovation Award” and “The AMIC Asia Communication Award” 2012.

Purpose

The AMIC Asia Communication Award recognizes outstanding achievement in research, education, institution building, and excellence in journalism and other media endeavours. Individuals of all nationalities are eligible for this award, which is given yearly at the AMIC annual meeting at the discretion of the AMIC board of directors.

Categories

The AMIC Asia Communication Award recognizes lasting contributions under the following categories:

• Research — contributions to the body of media research, such as the launching and completion of major research projects or the development of enduring theoretical approaches to media and communications.
• Education — lasting contributions in nurturing successive generations of media, communications, or journalism students and scholars.
• Institution building — establishment of key communications and media programs, research centers, or academic journals.
• Excellence in journalism, whether online or in print — sustained contributions to public service and the highest journalistic principles.
• Other media and communication contributions — from time to time the board may present the AMIC Communication Award to media practitioners for outstanding commitment and excellence in their field of endeavour.

Focus Areas

An individual will be honored based on the impact that his or her work has had on Asian communications and media. The impact of the contribution can be focused on a single country within Asia, on a region within Asia, or on the whole of Asia. While the awardees need not be Asian, preference is accorded to regional actors.

About AMIC Media and Communication Advancement and Innovation Award 2012

AMIC believes that new innovation strategies supported by tools, skills and best practices are required as Asia moves into new kinds of global media and communication regimes. Thus, to recognize outstanding achievement in the field of media and communication AMIC will be awarding this award annually at the AMIC annual meeting at the discretion of the AMIC board of directors. Individuals or institutions across the globe are eligible for this award.

About AMIC Asia Communication Award 2012

This award recognizes outstanding achievement in research, education, institution building, and excellence in journalism and other media endeavours. Thus an individual will be honoured based on the impact his or her work has had on Asian communication and media. Individuals of all nationalities are eligible for this award, which is given at the AMIC annual meeting at the discretion of the AMIC board of directors.

Last date for submitting the nominations is December 31, 2011.
For more information, visit this link.

Nominations invited for the 2012-2013 Communication for Sustainable Social Change Award

Communication for Sustainable Social Change (CSSC) is an independent organization that was created as a “Center of Excellence” within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst,  in response to an urgent need for close study of society and culture in formulating communication and media strategies in order to ensure that target audiences are reached in an appropriate manner that most effectively enhances knowledge transfer and brings about sustainable social change.

CSSC is currently inviting nominations for its prestigious 2012- 2013 Communication for Sustainable Social Change Award. This annual Award honors outstanding contributions by individuals or organizations to the theory and practice of Communication for Sustainable Social Change.

Inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, international, regional and national academic and professional communication associations, international media networks and communication and social change consortia are strongly encouraged to submit nominations for this Award.

About CSSC Awards and Selection Criteria

The Award comprises an artwork and $500, and winners are selected by an independent jury consisting of senior academics, media and aid and development representatives.

In selecting the Award Winner, the CSSC Jury will consider both significant contributions to the theory of CSSC, and notable achievements in applied communication practice. The theoretical and practical work of Award nominees should reflect and/or be directly relevant to contemporary international work being done in the field of CSSC.

The jury will also consider the pioneering contributions made by theorists and practitioners to CSSC. Nominations that demonstrate an innovative approach and a strong commitment to long-term sustainable development are also sought.

The CSSC Award:

• Recognizes major theoretical innovation and knowledge generation in the field of communication for sustainable social change
• Acknowledges innovative and practical communication and social change projects that have contributed to sustainable development, and
• Appreciates the contributions made by individuals and organizations whose moral courage and extraordinary commitment to communication for sustainable social change expands the boundary of what is possible in this field.

Award Ceremony

The Award will be presented to the winner at an official ceremony to be held at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, hosted by the SBS Center ‘Communication for Sustainable Social Change’ (CSSC). The winner of the Award will be announced in the media prior to the formal Award presentation ceremony. The Award nominee will deliver a keynote address at the award ceremony. The Center ‘Communication for Sustainable Social Change’ (CSSC) will meet the Award winner’s travel and accommodation expenses to attend the Award presentation ceremony and deliver guest lectures.

Additional Conditions

Award-winners may also be:

• asked to present a public lecture (or lectures) at the University of Massachusetts
• expected to contribute the award ceremony address he/she delivers for publication,
• invited to join CSSC as a Senior Fellow, and
• prepared to be interviewed by the media.

Last date for submission of nominations is May 1, 2012

For more information, visit this link.