Right Livelihood Award

International Awards » Award Grants » Livelihood Awards

Right Livelihood Award: The Right Livelihood Award honors and supports those people around the world who valiantly uphold the principles of right livelihood.

"The idea of ‘right livelihood’…embodies the principle that each person should follow an honest occupation, which fully respects other people and the natural world. It means being responsible for the consequences of our actions and taking only a fair share of the earth’s resources."

The Right Livelihood Award was once considered as the Alternative Nobel Prize.

The Prize is an opportunity to identify and recognize those individuals who have been working directly with the poor communities around the world and finding practical solutions to problems of poverty, pollution, conflict and human rights violation.

According to Jakob von Uexkull, the founder of the award in 1980 said, "The Right Livelihood Award aims to help the North find a wisdom to match its science, and the South to find a science to match its ancient wisdom."

The award now carries a monetary value of US $240,000. Only nominations are invited and both organizations and individuals can be nominated for the award by submitting the proposal.

Around hundred proposals are usually received by the award and the Right to Livelihood Award Foundation undertakes research on these proposals and forwards them to an international jury which makes the final decision during its annual meet usually held in September.

The proposal made by the proposer or the nominator should comprise of the following information:

• Full address, e-mail, phone and fax (if available) of self and proposed candidate.
• Nature and length of relationship with the candidate, mentioning professional, financial or political links, if any.
• Indication of whether the proposal is intended for a Cash or Honorary Award, or whether either would be appropriate. The Honorary Award is for candidates whose primary need is not cash support but who would benefit from the considerable recognition and publicity which a Right Livelihood Award generates.
• A statement setting out the reasons for the proposal and the candidate’s special qualifications for an Award.
• An assurance that the candidate’s work is sufficiently mature to justify a Right Livelihood Award. An Award is likely to generate inquiries, requests for visits etc., from people wanting to learn about the project. We do not expect candidates to have facilities for visitors or for dealing with large numbers of inquiries, but we do expect them to be ready and able to share their knowledge.
• The proposer’s expertise relevant to this proposal, mentioning his/her occupation.
• The Jury cannot make an Award in a particular area unless it has comparative knowledge of individuals/organizations engaged in similar work. Submission of such information by the proposer, where possible, is therefore very valuable.
• Wherever possible, the names and addresses of two other qualified persons from different organizations who have agreed to support the proposal. At least one of these, again where possible, should come from the candidate’s country.

Application Deadline: March every year.

For More Information, Kindly Visit; Right Livelihood Website

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