SERGIO VIEIRA DE MELLO PRIZE UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2002-2003)
honorary patronage Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Poland Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Poland United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
promoting democracy and tolerance Following the initiative of the Villa Decius Association Sergio Vieira de Mello Prize was established in the year 2003 with an aim to promote democracy and tolerance, and to pay tribute to Sergio Vieira de Mello, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Prize is awarded for special merits in peaceful coexistence and cooperation of communities, religions and cultures. The prize is awarded annually in two categories: a person a non-governmental organisation The Prize is awarded by the Panel of Judges composed of the High Representatives of: the President of the Republic of Poland; Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Poland; UN High Commissioner for Refugees; Embassies and Consulates supporting the operation of the Villa Decius Association in matters related to human rights; Institute of National Remembrance; Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection; founders of the Prize; ZNAK Foundation; Villa Decius Association. Invitations to work in the Prize’s Panel of Judges are extended by the President of the Villa Decius Association. The Laureates are given a statuette by Andrzej Renes, a personal diploma and a cash award. The ceremony of awarding the Prize will be held on 7 October 2010 at Villa Decius, Kraków. The Sergio Vieira de Mello Prize takes place within the Framework of the UNESCO International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures.
Laureates 2004: Tadeusz Mazowiecki, One World Association Laureates 2005: Rev. Marian Żelazek SVD (1918-2006), Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe Laureates 2006: Alaxandr Milinkevich, Jewish Culture Festival Laureates 2007: Maryna Hulia, Magurycz Association Laureaci 2008: Krystyna Pryjomko-Serafin, Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka, Prof. Szewach Weiss, Michał Żejmis Laureaci 2009: Fatos Lubonja, Leopold Unger, United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello (1948-2003) He graduated in philosophy and humanistic studies at Pantheon Sorbonne University of Paris. De Mello participated in numerous humanitarian and peacekeeping actions including Bangladesh, the Sudan, Cyprus, Mozambique and Peru. In 1981 he became Senior Political Advisor of UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon. In the period 1983-91, he was the Chief of the Cabinet of the High Commissioner, the Head of Regional Bureau of Asia and Oceania, and Head of Section of International Relations. In the years 1991-96 he also acted as a special envoy of the High Commissioner for Refugees in Cambodia. In 1996 he was nominated the Assistant of the High Commissioner for Refugees of UN and in 1998 took his post in New York as the General Undersecretary for Humanitarian Actions. He frequently paid short visits with humanitarian missions to Kosovo and East Timor. On September 12, 2002 he was nominated to the post of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. In May 2003, acting as the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of United Nations, he went for a mission to Iraq. He was killed in a bomb attack in Baghdad on 19 August 2003.
Organiser
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International Year for the Rapprochment of Cultures
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Project coordinator: Katarzyna Kopeć Villa Decius Association ul. 28 Lipca 17a PL 30-233 Kraków tel. 12.4253638 w. 180 www.villa.org.pl katko@villa.org.pl