The Rafto Human Rights Prize is awarded annually in memory of professor Thorolf Rafto, to the person or organisation found most worthy among those nominated, of furthering the principles to which professor Rafto devoted his life. Thorolf Rafto was particularly conc
erned about the protection of spiritual, political and economic freedom.
The recipient of the Prize will be announced at a press conference. The press conference will be webcasted on www.rafto.no by the organisation’s collaboration partner within design and communication – Maritime Colours.
Formal criteria for selection of the laureate
* A recipient should be an active participant in the struggle for the ideals and principles underlying the Human Rights Charter.
* A candidate’s struggle for human rights should represent a non-violent perspective.
* A recipient may be a person or an organisation, and two or more recipients may share the prize.
Last year the winner of the Rafto Human Rights Prize was a journalist and human rights activist from Azerbaijan Malahat Nasibova (picture above). For more information on the former Rafto Prize laureates, please see here.
The Rafto Prize laureate will be honoured at a ceremony and concert to be held on Sunday, 7 November 2010, at the National Venue of Theatre in Bergen, Norway.
Rafto Symposium
Issues of particular concern to the 2010 Rafto Prize laurete will be presented and discussed at an open symposium to be held on Friday, 5 November 2010, at Grand Selskapslokaler in Bergen, Norway.
More information and program about the award ceremony and the symposium will be available on the Rafto website after the announcement on Thursday, 23 September.
Contact information
Media contact – Head of Information 
Kari Amle
Phone: +47 55 21 09 30
E-mail: kari.amble@rafto.no
Other issues – Rafto Prize coordinator
Gunta Venge
Phone: +47 55 21 09 50
E-mail: gunta.venge@rafto.no
***
Thorolf Rafto (July 6, 1922 – November 4, 1986) was a human rights activist and professor in Economic History at the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen, Norway. During a visit to Prague in 1979 to hold a lecture for students excluded from the universities for political reasons, Rafto was beaten up by the communist security police. He suffered from the inflicted injuries the rest of his life and died in 1986 at the age of 64. The Rafto Foundation for Human Rights was established the same year, in gratitude for his efforts and inspiration.
HRH Bergen, based on Rafto Foundation information.
Related links:
