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The Scandinavian Human Dignity Award is presented by the Scandinavian Human Rights Committee and Lawyers to a person or an organization which has made a special contribution to human rights, all of which derive from the inherent dignity of the human person and are essential for her free and full development.
The Scandinavian Human Dignity Award 2020 is dedicated to Bryan Stevenson and the organization Equal Justice Initiative for their tremendous efforts to promote justice and human rights and to restore human dignity.
- Bryan Stevenson is a real pioneer and his dedication to restore hope in the seemingly “hopeless” cases and infuse human dignity into the lives of disadvantaged people facing the death penalty, is truly remarkable. Bryan Stevenson and EJI have made a tremendous effort in their fight for the unfairly sentenced and their work raise the voice of the voiceless. Bryan is a purpose-driven lawyer and his fight against systemic unjustice and his bold stand for truth, mercy and justice is a great inspirataion for us in our fight for human rights and justice in Scandinavia and Europe. Ruth Nordström, Founder and chief lawyer of Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers
- I am incredibly honored by the Scandinavian Human Dignity Award, I have had the privilege of spending some time with the previous winner of the prize, Dr Denis Mukwege and know about his remarkable work in Africa and to be in the company with people that have done such extraordinary things is deeply meaningful and very humbling. I am part of a tradition of people who just believe that faith has to be made real in what we do and it has to be expressed in the lives of people whose humanity and dignity is not valued. I receive the award not just as an affirmation for what I do, but as an affirmation of the people that I serve. I accept it on behalf of the condemned that are awaiting execution around the world, on behalf of those who are told that their lives have no meaning or purpose or value so they are put in prison for ever, on behalf of those children who had their childhood taken away because they been deemed adults even though they are 13 or 14, on behalf of women that have been told that their struggles against violence and abuse are irrelevant when they fall down, respond or react, and behalf of the poor who are often made to feel that they are less valuable and less important. It is in these communities that my life and work has meaning and it is this kind of recognition that makes that work even more remarkable so I am grateful and very thankful to the organization and to the network of lawyers, advocates and activists all around Scandinavia and Europe that thought it was useful to recognize what we are doing here at EJI, I am very honored, says Bryan Stevenson, founder of Equal Justice Initative.
Previous recipients of the Human Dignity Award are, among others, Nobel Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege and International Justice Mission:
https://humanrightslawyers.eu/scandinavian-human-dignity-award/
The Award Ceremony will take place at a gala in favor of asylum seeking Christian converts in St. Clara's Church in Stockholm on Saturday 31 October at 18-20.30. As the number of participants is limited to 50 people, the gala will be broadcast live via TBN Play https://www.tbnplay.se/browse and on Viasat channel site 141 and St. Clara Church's Youtube channel.