Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award 2010

Each year, the May 18 Memorial Foundation announces this award in a spirit of solidarity and gratitude to those who helped them in their struggle for democratization. The award goes to one individual or organization who has contributed to the promotion and advancement of human rights, democracy and peace in their work.

Candidates eligible for the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights are nominated by other individuals or organizations. An individual cannot nominate himself or herself.

Core criteria:
1) An outstanding person or group who is active in the promotion and advocacy of Peace, Democracy and Human Rights.
2) A person or group working for the reunification of Korea.
Nominations will be taken from November to the first week of May. Preliminary and final reviews of nominees take place from May to April, and the winner of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award will be announced in the last week of April.

November 2009
Announcement and nomination forms are sent out. The Committee sends out invitation letters containing forms to persons who may be interested in making a nomination.

01 March 2010
Deadline for submission of the form and related documents. The Committee assesses the candidates' work and prepares a shortlist.

April 2010
The committee reviews the shortlist and consults advisers as to their knowledge of chosen candidates. The advisers do not directly evaluate nominations nor give explicit recommendations. On April 23, 2010, committee members will choose a winner and the next day a public announcement and press conference will be held to announce the winner.

18 May 2010
Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award Ceremony. The prizewinner receives the award.
The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award will be presented to the laureate at a ceremony in Gwangju, Republic of Korea on May 18, which is the 30th Anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising. The Award consists of a gold medal, a certificate and a 50 Million Korean Won (KRW 50,000,000.00) grant to support the ongoing work of the laureate.

The annual Gwangju Prize for Human Rights has the following aims:
1) To enhance the spirit of the May 18 Democratic Uprising by recognizing individuals, groups and institutions who have contributed to protecting the human rights of the excluded, impoverished and disempowered at the grassroots level.

2) To reward individuals, groups and institutions for promoting the goals of the May 18 Democratic Uprising as a movement toward peace, unification and cooperation.

The application deadline is 01 March 2010.

http://www.518.org/eng/