Call for Václav Havel Human Rights Prize 2026 is open now !!!
The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize shall be awarded by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation every year in order to reward outstanding civil society action in the defense of human rights. The Prize shall be awarded in memory of Václav Havel, playwright, fighter against totalitarianism, leader of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, Czechoslovak and Czech President, and an enduring symbol of opposition to despotism.
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The Prize, created in 2013, aims to reward outstanding civil society action in defending human rights in Europe and beyond. Candidates should have made a real difference to the human rights situation of a given group, been instrumental in uncovering large-scale systemic violations, or have successfully mobilized public opinion or the international community for a particular cause. The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2026 edition of the Prize is 30 April 2026.
The Prize, which will be awarded in October 2026 in Strasbourg, consists of a sum of €60,000, a trophy and a diploma.
Since its creation, the Prize has been awarded to Maksym Butkevych (Ukraine), María Corina Machado (Venezuela), Osman Kavala (Türkiye), Vladimir Kara-Murza (Russian Federation), Maria Kalesnikava (Belarus), Loujain Alhathloul (Saudi Arabia), jointly to Ilham Tohti (China) and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (Balkans), Oyub Titiev (Russian Federation), Murat Arslan (Türkiye), Nadia Murad (Iraq), Ludmilla Alexeeva (Russian Federation), Anar Mammadli (Azerbaijan) and Ales Bialiatski (Belarus).
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The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation, has issued a call for nominations for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.
Location:
FranceBenefits
- The Prize shall consist of a sum of sixty thousand euros, which may be subject to periodic adjustment
- A trophy
- A diploma commending the Prizewinner(s)’ outstanding contribution to the cause of human rights.
Eligibilities
- Individuals or non-governmental institutions who or which are active in the defense of human rights may be eligible for consideration.
- Current members of the Parliamentary Assembly and deceased individuals are not eligible.
Application Process
- Nominations for the Prize must reach the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly before 30 April each year.
- They shall be signed by at least five sponsors, other than the nominee, on the special form appended to these Regulations.
- Nominations shall provide details of the nominee’s action(s) in the defense of human rights and specify the reasons why the nominee’s action(s) can be considered to be outstanding. All relevant supporting documents shall be provided.
- Applicants can fill the nomination form from Apply Now link
Application Deadline: April 30, 2026 (44 Days Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
