On Thursday, the Right Livelihood Award Foundation announced the 2006 recipients of the Right Livelihood Award. Among the three are a U.S. man who exposed corruption in government, an Indian woman who has dedicated her life to securing equal rights for other women, and a poetry festival that is an inspiration to the entire world. The three recipients of the RLA for 2006 are Daniel Ellsberg of the United States of America, Ruth Manorama of India and The International Poetry Festival of Medellin. The Foundation Right Livelihood, headquartered in Sweden, annually makes an award to those who offer an outstanding vision and work on behalf of our planet and our people. Established in 1980, the $230,000 (approx) award has become widely known as the Alternative Nobel.
The Right Livelihood Award is about changing the world. It is about giving a little more scope and influence to people who have a vision and a commitment to better futures for all. And it is about shifting the balance in their favour against the Goliaths who will otherwise continue destroying the world for power or profit.
–RLA Aims and Objectives.
Historically, the RLA has been awarded to individuals and organizations whose work promotes peace, sound ecological policies and practices, social justice and human rights for all. In making the award to the Medellin poetry festival, the award”s granters stated that it is:
The Medellin Poetry Festival began in 1991 as a protest against political violence and hatred. It was, said the festival”s initiator, an attempt…
The first Festival was organized by a group of 13 people. In the fifteen years since its inception, the “little light” has grown to a shining beacon with 200,000 people in attendance to hear and participate in 80 to 100 readings over the course of ten days.
The award will be presented in a ceremony to take place in Stockholm on December 8, the day before the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prizes.
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