International Children's Peace Prize
Encyclopedia
The International Children’s Peace Prize is awarded annually to a child who has made a significant contribution to advocating children's rights and improving the situation of vulnerable children such as orphans, child labourers and children with HIV
/AIDS
.
The prize is an initiative of the KidsRights Foundation
, an international children's aid and advocacy organisation based in Amsterdam
, the Netherlands.
The first Children's Peace Prize was launched in November 2005 during the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome
, an annual meeting of Nobel Peace Prize
winners and international organisations such as UNICEF and Amnesty International
. "We welcome the launch of Children’s Peace Prize during our summit," the summit's closing statement said.
Mikhail Gorbachev
presented the 2005 prize, which was posthumously awarded to Nkosi Johnson
, a South Africa
n boy who brought international attention to children with HIV/AIDS and founded the Nkosi's Haven
home for HIV-positive mothers and children. The winner receives a $100,000 donation to benefit a charitable project for children, as well as a statuette which has been named the Nkosi in Nkosi Johnson's honour.
The 2006 award was handed out by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Frederik Willem de Klerk
in a ceremony at the Binnenhof
, the seat of the Dutch parliament in The Hague
. The 2007 was presented at the Binnenhof by Bob Geldof
and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Betty Williams. The 2008 price was presented by Desmond Tutu
.
An International Children's Peace Prize is also handed out by the Children as the Peacemakers Foundation. The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child
is awarded yearly by Swedish organisation Children's World.
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
The prize is an initiative of the KidsRights Foundation
KidsRights Foundation
The KidsRights Foundation is an international children's aid and advocacy organisation based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Founded in 2003, KidsRights raises funds for independent local aid projects in a number of countries around the world, including Zimbabwe, Ukraine and Haiti."KidsRights seeks...
, an international children's aid and advocacy organisation based in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, the Netherlands.
The first Children's Peace Prize was launched in November 2005 during the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, an annual meeting of Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
winners and international organisations such as UNICEF and Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. "We welcome the launch of Children’s Peace Prize during our summit," the summit's closing statement said.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
presented the 2005 prize, which was posthumously awarded to Nkosi Johnson
Nkosi Johnson
Nkosi Johnson was a South African child with HIV/AIDS, who made a powerful impact on public perceptions of the pandemic and its effects before his death at the age of 12. He was ranked fifth amongst SABC3's Great South Africans...
, a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n boy who brought international attention to children with HIV/AIDS and founded the Nkosi's Haven
Nkosi's Haven
Nkosi's Haven is an orphanage in Johannesburg, South Africa, founded with the aim of looking after mothers and children with HIV/AIDS.Nkosi's Haven believes in the policy of keeping the mother and child together. It is the belief that no mother should be separated from her child because of HIV-status...
home for HIV-positive mothers and children. The winner receives a $100,000 donation to benefit a charitable project for children, as well as a statuette which has been named the Nkosi in Nkosi Johnson's honour.
The 2006 award was handed out by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Frederik Willem de Klerk
Frederik Willem de Klerk
Frederik Willem de Klerk , often known as F. W. de Klerk, is the former seventh and last State President of apartheid-era South Africa, serving from September 1989 to May 1994...
in a ceremony at the Binnenhof
Binnenhof
The Binnenhof , is a complex of buildings in The Hague. It has been the location of meetings of the Staten-Generaal, the Dutch parliament, since 1446, and has been the centre of Dutch politics for many centuries....
, the seat of the Dutch parliament in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. The 2007 was presented at the Binnenhof by Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Betty Williams. The 2008 price was presented by Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
.
An International Children's Peace Prize is also handed out by the Children as the Peacemakers Foundation. The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child
The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child
The World’s Children’s Prize contributes toward a more humane world in support of the rights of the child; it is said to be the world’s largest annual educational program teaching young people about the rights of the child, democracy, the environment, and global friendship.More than 57,450 schools...
is awarded yearly by Swedish organisation Children's World.
Recipients
- 2005 - Nkosi JohnsonNkosi JohnsonNkosi Johnson was a South African child with HIV/AIDS, who made a powerful impact on public perceptions of the pandemic and its effects before his death at the age of 12. He was ranked fifth amongst SABC3's Great South Africans...
, South Africa - 2006 - Om Prakash GurjarOm Prakash GurjarOm Prakash Gurjar is a former child labourer from Rajasthan who won the International Children's Peace Prize for 2006.At the age of five, he was taken away from his parents and for three years he worked in the fields. After he was rescued by activists of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Om campaigned for...
, India - 2007 - Thandiwe Chama, Zambia
- 2008 - Mayra Avellar Neves, Brazil
- 2009 - Baruani Ndume, Tanzania