- Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg with three other people were named as the winners of a Right Livelihood Award 2019, also known as the ‘Alternative Nobel’.
- Greta Thunberg is being recognised “for inspiring and amplifying political demands for urgent climate action reflecting scientific facts”, the prize foundation said.
- According to the award release, the 16-year-old, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, “personifies the notion that everyone has the power to create change. Her example has inspired and empowered people from all walks of life to demand political action”.
- Other winners are; Davi Kopenawa and the Hutukara Yanomami Association, representing Brazil’s indigenous tribe, for protecting the Amazon forest and its people; Moroccan activist Aminatou Haidar “for her steadfast nonviolent action” for Western Sahara and Chinese lawyer Guo Jianmei for her work for women’s rights in China.
- The four winners will each receive 1 million Swedish crowns ($103,000).
About Right Livelihood Award
- The annual Right Livelihood Award was created in 1980 by Swedish-German philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull to “honour and support courageous people solving global problems”. It has become widely known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’
- The award honours efforts that the prize founder, felt were being ignored by the Nobel prizes.
