Award ceremony 2016

It is with pride and humility that the LIVIA Foundation presents the three award recipients. They all create hope. And they are all doing something unique for a future in which people can live in dignity and safety.

Trampoline House

The work and life of the Trampoline House – a great drop-in center in Copenhagen – addresses a politicized conflict area in Denmark, namely our relation to refugees and immigrants. The Trampoline House acts locally and equally, creates inclusion, counteracts an escalating dehumanization, powerlessness and hostility. The center works for community and contact with Danish citizens, friendships and understanding of each other’s values and norms. All conflicts are solved together; all rules decided together – a safe space for experiments.

William Ongoro

From South Sudan: The award for William Ongoro is given for acting bravely and wisely in the painful and violent conflicts of South Sudan. For bringing the contending parties together for contact, dialogue and mediation, and for bridging the gap with great personal risks. For intervening in the focus of dangerous situations. We also acknowledge the well thought and creative measures used by William Ongoro to raise public awareness of constructive conflict resolution and peace building. We congratulate William Ongoro and his co-workers for having contributed to reconciling conflicting communities and uniting former enemies under very difficult circumstances.

Global Network for Women Peacebuilders

The GNWP promotes something very important to the prevention of violent escalation and to peacebuilding, namely women’s participation in peace negotiations and peacebuilding. Only when women’s voices and perspectives are heard, a peace

agreement can lead to genuine co-existence and reconciliation. Therefore the UNSCR resolution 1325 is of immense importance, but only if it is implemented. Here GNWP is doing a very efficient work at the UN, and especially with the focus at national and local levels, translating international policies of women, peace and security into positive, realistic actions in the local communities, where people who have suffered in wars are hoping for a secure and dignified future. GNWP’s contributions I Colombia and South Sudan are strongly appreciated.

The festive award ceremony

We celebrate the three award recipients with music, thought-provoking narratives, and strong pictures. We are looking forward to listening to their stories of how to act with courage and reflection in a violent and troubled time.

Nominees

Among the nominees for the LIVIA Prize 2016, the board of the LIVIA Foundation has nominated a total of eight groups and individuals. They are all chosen for inventive, courageous and tireless conflict work without the use of violence.

Trampoline House
Denmark
Addresses a large, politicized field of conflict in Denmark, our relations with refugees and immigrants. Local and equal.Creates inclusion, counteracts escalating dehumanization, fends off powerlessness and hostility, and prevents predictable escalation. Works for community and contact with the Danes, friendships and understanding of each other’s values and norms. All conflicts are resolved jointly; all rules are decided jointly, a safe space for experiments.

Venligboerne / Mads Nygaard og Fawaz Taha Alzatto
Denmark
Addresses a large, politicized field of conflict in Denmark, our relationship with refugees and immigrants, with very simple values:

Be kind in meeting others
Be curious when you meet people who are different from you.
Meet diversity with respect.

Forms a bridge in a gorge that divides the Danes, strengthens cohesion. Reaching out to everyone in the country, regardless of religion or political affiliation, Mobilizes thousands to act humanely in the refugee crisis and connect with the refugees and each other in local networks. Builds direct contacts across ethnicities. Prevents hostility and potential violence.

William Ongoro / National Platform for Peace and Reconciliation (NPPR)
South Sudan
Nominated for acting bravely and wisely in South Sudan’s painful and violent conflicts. Brings warring parties together for contact, dialogue and mediation Bridges the gap with great personal risk. Acts in the violent hotspots of the conflict, which W. Ongoro and the NPPR use to make public awareness that constructive conflict resolution and peacebuilding are possible. We congratulate the NPPR on reconciling warring communities and uniting former enemies.

Point of View: Dina Alborava, Nino Kalandarishvili, Giorgi Kanashvili, Lira Kozaeva
South Ossetia and Georgia
Nominated for many years of persistent and courageous work to build bridges and create genuine communication, restore trust between counterparties. Let them see each other as people suffering from the conflict. The whole wounds. Under risks and personal threats to the four who are from both sides of the conflict. Achieve results both locally and at the overall political level.

Ali Abu Awwad
Palestine
Nominated to fight for his cause without the use of violence. Train young people to do the same. Brings families together from both sides – who have suffered during the conflict and lost family members. Working resolutely for dialogue, non-violence and reconciliation after a past as a militant.

Ruth Akurundi
Kenya
Ruth Akurundi and her peace group have gathered and involved women from the local community to bring conflict resolution and reconciliation to the people. We recognize the courage and determination it takes to do so in the midst of the bitter and painful Turkana-Pokot conflict. It is crucial that women take a role in peace work if it is to become a living reality – women’s perspective is indispensable. We also recognize that the peace group includes members from both sides of the conflict and know that it is a difficult task to bridge and make contact with the other party – and a major step on the road to coexistence and reconciliation.

Tegla Loroupe
Kenya
Tegla Loroupe and her group have brought counterparts together from the bitter and painful conflicts in the region — to bring conflict resolution and reconciliation to the people. We recognize the courage and determination it takes to intervene in the midst of serious and violent conflicts, and the innovative and creative methods used here to bring the warring parties together and know that it is a difficult task to bridge and create contact to the other party. We appreciate that Tegla Loroupe uses her fame as a long distance runner in the service of a larger goal, peaceful coexistence.

The Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)
USA
GNWP promotes something that is very important for the prevention of violent escalation and for peacebuilding, namely the participation of women. Only when women’s voices and perspectives are heard in peace negotiations and peace-building processes can a peace agreement lead to genuine coexistence and reconciliation. That is why UNSCR Resolution 1325 is of enormous importance, but only if it is implemented. Here, GNWP does a very effective job at the UN, and especially with a focus on national and international level, translating international policies on women, peace and security into positive, realistic actions. in local communities where people live who have suffered during wars and hope for a safe and dignified future. GNWP’s efforts in Colombia and South Sudan are highly valued.

Ilan Pappe
Israel
Nominated for genuine dialogue, conflict resolution, reconciliation and peacebuilding, it is crucial to inform all parties to the conflict about the facts – as far as they can now be established. Only then is it possible to restore trust and build a common future. In the context of the Palestine-Israel conflict, Ilan Pappe has made a significant contribution. As an Israeli, he is an example of a person who, through his research, has come to recognize the other side, the Palestinians. As well as acknowledging the role of its own government in the escalation of the conflict. Ilan Pappe does a great job of bridging the gap between Israelis and Palestinians, with his publications and lectures, which always point to peaceful solutions.

See the list of the 37, who were set for a nomination.

See who nominates – the envoys.