Deadline: February 8, 2018
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is searching for heroes supporting refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. Do you know an inspirational individual or group making a difference? Nominate them for the 2018 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award.
Fridtjof Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as the first High Commissioner for Refugees at the League of Nations. The legacy of his work for the aid and protection of displaced persons is still present in the UN system today.
Each year the winner of the Nansen Refugee Award is announced in the month of September, ahead of the ceremony in October. The official ceremony presided over by the High Commissioner for Refugees is held annually in October in Geneva, Switzerland, the world’s humanitarian capital.
Do you know a hero making a difference to the lives of families forced to flee their homes? Who deserves recognition for selflessly devoting their time to the displacement cause? Nominate now.
Eligibility
- Any individual, group of people, or organization that has displayed extraordinary humanitarian work on behalf of refugees, displaced, or stateless peoples is eligible to be nominated.
- Former and current NRC staff or UNHCR staff, including United Nations Volunteers (UNVs) working for UNHCR offices, are ineligible.
- Nominations can be submitted in any of the official languages of the United Nations (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and Chinese).
- Self-nominations are strongly discouraged. The following are considered self-nominations:
- Individuals or organizations nominating themselves.
Nominees are considered by the Nansen Refugee Award Committee in the following light:
- The deed for which the person/ entity is nominated should take place outside the framework of normal professional duties and go beyond the call of duty;
- It should demonstrate courage;
- It should raise awareness for displaced people; and
- It should reflect the values of UNHCR.
Selection Criteria
When reviewing nominations, the following criteria is considered:
- Candidates may be individuals, groups or organizations. Every Nansen Refugee Award winner spends an extraordinary amount of time and effort to help the forcibly displaced:
- The winner’s work goes beyond the call of duty and outside of normal activities;
- The winner’s work demonstrates courage – the winner might at times face personal risk for his/her/their work;
- The winner’s work has a direct positive impact on the lives of forcibly displaced or stateless people;
- The work is connected to a major displacement issue or situation.
Application
Nomination forms are made available via this link.
All nominations must be sent to the Nansen Secretariat at [email protected].
For more information, visit UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award.
