The Sydney Peace Prize is awarded by the Sydney Peace Foundation, a non profit organisation associated with the University of Sydney. The prize promotes peace with justice and the practice of nonviolence. It aims to encourage public interest and discussion about issues of peace, social justice, human rights, and non-violent conflict resolution.
Support The City of Sydney is a major supporter of the Sydney Peace Prize. This involves a significant financial contribution along with other in-kind support in order to foster peace with justice.
The prize Over three months each year, the Sydney Peace Prize jury – comprising seven individuals who represent corporate, media, academic and community sector interests – assesses the merits of the nominees' efforts to promote peace with justice. It is awarded to an organisation or individual:
who has made significant contributions to global peace including improvements in personal security and steps towards eradicating poverty, and other forms of structural violence whose role and responsibilities enable the recipient to use the prize to further the cause of peace with justice whose work illustrates the philosophy and principles of non-violence
Considerations The jury has been prepared to make some controversial choices. Sydney Peace Foundation Founder, Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees, said, "The initiators of the Sydney Peace Prize aimed to influence public interest in peace with justice, an ideal which is often perceived as controversial. The choice of a non-controversial candidate for a peace prize would be a safe option but unlikely to prompt debate or to increase understanding. Consensus usually encourages compliance, often anaesthetises and seldom informs."
Prize winners
+YearWinnerBirth/deathKnown For1998Professor Muhammad Yunus1940-presentFounder of the Grameen Bank for the poor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate1999Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu1931-2021Archbishop of Cape Town and Nobel Peace Prize laureate2000Xanana Gusmão1946-presentPoet, artist and president of East Timor2001Sir William Deane1931-presentFormer Governor-General of Australia2002Mary Robinson1944-presentFormer United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland2003Hanan Ashrawi1946-presentPalestinian academic and human rights campaigner2004Arundhati Roy1961-presentIndian novelist and peace activist2005Olara Otunnu1950-presentUnited Nations Under Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict from Uganda2006Irene Khan1956-presentSecretary General of Amnesty International2007Hans Blix1938-presentChairman of the UN Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission2008Patrick Dodson1948-presentChairman of the Lingiari Foundation, "father of reconciliation"2009John Pilger1939-2023Australian journalist and documentary maker2010Vandana Shiva1952-presentIndian social justice and environmental activist, eco-feminist and author2011Noam Chomsky1928-presentAmerican linguist and activist2012Sekai Holland1942-presentZimbabwean Senator2013Cynthia Maung1959-presentBurmese doctor2014Julian Burnside1949-presentAustralian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate2015George Gittoes1949-presentAustralian artist who chronicles conflicts around the world2016Naomi Klein1970-presentCanadian journalist, author and prominent activist for climate justice2017Black Lives MatterFounded 2013International civil rights activist movement2018Joseph E. Stiglitz1943-presentAmerican economist and academic2019Tarana Burke and Tracey Spicer1973-present and 1967-present, respectivelyAmerican founders of the #MeToo Movement2020Midnight OilFounded 1972Australian rock band2021The Uluru Statement from the HeartIssued 2017A petition for constitutional change by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders20222023Nazanin Boniadi1980-presentBritish actress and activist2024International Red Cross and Red Crescent MovementFounded 1863Humanitarian Organisation2025Dr Navi Pillay1941-presentFormer UN High Commissioner for Human Rights2026Jennifer Robinson1981-presentHuman Rights Lawyer And Barrister
Gold medal for Peace with Justice The foundation also occasionally awards a special gold medal for significant contributions to peace and justice. Winners of the gold medal include South African statesman Nelson Mandela, 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, Japanese Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda, WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, Costa Rican Christina Figueres and Australian band Midnight Oil.
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External links
Sydney Peace Foundation