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The 17th Right Livelihood Lecture took place at the University of Zurich on 28 November. On this occasion, the current laureate Joan Carling came to Zurich.
Joan Carling is an indigenous activist from the Philippines who has been campaigning for the rights of indigenous peoples for more than 30 years. Her work ranges from the grassroots to the international level and encompasses human rights, sustainable development, climate justice and the fight against land grabbing. Since the late 1990s, Carling has led several organisations for the rights of indigenous peoples. She continues to play a key role in making indigenous people's voices heard in the Philippines, Asia and around the world. Her goal is to end the systematic marginalisation and criminalisation of indigenous communities.
This year’s Right Livelihood Laureates have each made a profound impact on their communities and the global stage. Their unwavering commitment to speaking out against forces of oppression and exploitation, while strictly adhering to non-violent methods, resonates far beyond their communities.
With violence raging in all parts of the world, these Laureates show that the way forward is through empowering communities, peace-making, and a steadfast commitment to truth. Their work serves as a beacon of hope in these challenging times.
The 2024 Right Livelihood Award goes to:
Joan Carling (Philippines) “for raising Indigenous voices in the face of the global ecological breakdown and her leadership in defending people, lands and culture,”
Issa Amro and Youth Against Settlements (Palestine) “for their steadfast non-violent resistance to Israel’s illegal occupation, promoting Palestinian civic action through peaceful means,”
Anabela Lemos and Justiça Ambiental! (Mozambique) “for empowering communities to stand up for their right to say no to exploitative mega-projects and demand environmental justice,” and
Forensic Architecture (UK) “for pioneering digital forensic methods to ensure justice and accountability for victims and survivors of human and environmental rights violations.”
“The 2024 Laureates demonstrate the power of non-violent resistance and truthtelling, placing decision-making into the hands of local communities,” said Ole von Uexkull, Right Livelihood’s Executive Director. “Faced with violence, exploitation and oppression, this year’s Laureates are charting ways towards a just, peaceful and sustainable future for all. Let their commitment inspire us all to be braver and take action for the benefit of our communities!”
Anabela Lemos and Justiça Ambiental! are the first Laureate from Mozambique to receive the Right Livelihood Award
The 16th Right Livelihood Lecture took place at the University of Zurich on 7 December 2023. On this occasion, the current award-winning organisation SOS MEDITERRANEE came to Zurich.
SOS MEDITERRANEE is a European maritime humanitarian organisation that rescues people in distress in the Mediterranean, the world's deadliest migration route. Since the beginning of its search and rescue operations, the organisation has brought more than 38,500 people to safety. SOS MEDITERRANEE was founded in response to the tragic deaths in the Mediterranean and the European Union's inability to effectively tackle this problem. In addition to providing medical and psychosocial care on the ground, the survivors are also given a voice by having their stories documented by the organisation.
Bearing witness to untold suffering, the 2023 Right Livelihood Laureates stand up to save lives, preserve nature and safeguard the dignity and livelihoods of communities around the world.
They face off against social taboos around abortion in African countries, Cambodia’s authoritarian regime and corrupt businesses, a growing humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean Sea, and unsafe industrial practices in Kenya to demand a liveable future for all.
The 2023 Right Livelihood Award goes to:
Eunice Brookman-Amissah from Ghana “for pioneering discussions on women’s reproductive rights in Africa, paving the way for liberalised abortion laws and improved safe abortion access” (Honorary),
Mother Nature Cambodia “for their fearless and engaging activism to preserve Cambodia’s natural environment in the context of a highly restricted democratic space,”
SOS MEDITERRANEE “for its life-saving humanitarian search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea,” and
Phyllis Omido from Kenya “for her groundbreaking struggle to secure land and environmental rights for local communities while advancing the field of environmental law.”
READ MORE ABOUT THE 2023 LAUREATES
“The 2023 Right Livelihood Laureates fight for people’s right to health, safety, a clean environment and democracy,” said Ole von Uexkull, Executive Director at Right Livelihood. “These Laureates take a stance to have a say in the affairs of their communities and those affected by harmful and corrupt policies. They care for their land and each human life connected to it: be it Indigenous communities or people risking their lives to get to safety.”
Brookman-Amissah and Mother Nature Cambodia are the first Laureates from Ghana and Cambodia respectively to receive the Right Livelihood Award.
Sustainability now! The exclamation mark highlights the urgency of the call – a call to action. Theoretical debates on their own cannot solve the numerous global challenges relating to climate change, human rights or social inequality; for sustainable transformation, we need to turn words into deeds. The question is how? How can we turn an idea into action and contribute to sustainable development?
Read the full UZH News article about our centre here.
The third edition of our lecture series took place from March to June 2023.. You can find more information under Continuing Education
On 23 November 2022, the 15th Right Livelihood Lecture took place at the University of Zurich. Somali human rights defenders Fartuun Adan and Ilwad Elman, came to Zurich for this edition. With their organisation Elman Peace, they developed innovative and culturally specific approaches to support survivors of gender-based violence.
Ole von Uexküll, Prof. Dr. Gesine Krüger, Prof. Dr. Gabriele Siegert and PD. Dr. Aline Steinbrecher led through the evening.
17 May 2022 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
The Right Livelihood Laureate and human rights activist Maude Barlow will speak in Zurich.
Under the title "Water is a Right - Still Hopeful", Maude Barlow will be appearing in the Kleine Aula of the University of Zurich (Rämistrasse 59) on Tuesday, 17 May 2022, at 6.30 pm. During the event, Maude Barlow will present UZH with the official certificate of admission to the Blue Community. The University of Zurich (UZH) has decided to join the international Blue Community network and will receive the certificate at this event. It sees its role in particular in gaining and communicating factual knowledge on the principles of the network in research and teaching. But UZH also wants to make a contribution in its operations by increasing the use of tap water instead of bottled water.
The event will be held in English. Participation is free of charge, registration is not required.
The event will take place in the Kleine Aula of the University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 59 (RAA-G-01). Participation is free of charge, no registration is necessary. The event will be held in English.
We are proud to be part of the Zurich Knowledge Center for Sustainable(ZKSD) network and look forward to future exchanges as well as collaboration on contributions for sustainable development.
