Linked with Akbar Ganji – Iran, and with Martin Ennals – England (1927-1991).
Understanding conflict. Building peace. International Alert is an independent peacebuilding organisation working in over 20 countries and territories around the world. Our dual approach involves working directly with people affected by violent conflict as well as at government, EU and UN levels to shape both policy and practice in building sustainable peace. International Alert was established in 1986 by a group of human rights advocates led by the former Secretary General of Amnesty International, Martin Ennals, in response to growing concerns expressed by those working in international development agencies, human rights organisations and those involved in the issues of ethnic conflict and genocide. This group recognised that the denial of human rights often led to internal armed conflicts which, in turn, further undermined efforts to protect individual and collective human rights and to promote sustainable development.
International Alert created the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders MEA, was established by the Martin Ennals Foundation to honour Ennal’s legacy, and since 1994 this Award has been distributed in recognition of human rights defenders who share his vision and drive.
An unique collaboration among eleven of the world’s leading non-governmental human rights organizations makes the MEA the main award of the human rights movement. The JURY is composed of the following NGOs: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organization Against Torture, Front Line, International Commission of Jurists, German Diakonie, International Service for Human Rights, International Alert, and Huridocs.
Akbar Ganji , an Iranian investigative journalist, turned activist, and Arnold Tsunga a lawyer and a radio commentator from Zimbabwe, will receive the 2006 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) on Wednesday 11 October 2006, 17h30. Louise Arbour , UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will present the award during a ceremony at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva (Switzerland), within framework of the International North South Media Festival. (Read on the 2006 MEA-receivers).
MEA Patrons: Asma Jahangir, Barbara Hendricks, Jose Ramos-Horta, Adama Dieng, Leandro Despouy, Robert Fulghum and Theo van Boven. (See on Amnesty USA).