LIBERTY VICTORIA VOLTAIRE HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS 2019 - CALL FOR NOMINATIONS BY 3 MARCH 2019
The Liberty Victoria Voltaire Human Rights Dinner is an important event in the human rights calendar in Australia. For more than two decades, the Voltaire Award for free speech has been presented to a person or organisation for outstanding contributions to free speech. Award recipients have included journalists, activists, whistleblowers, lawyers, writers, students, cartoonists and comedians. In 2016, Liberty Victoria introduced the "Empty Chair" award, and 2017 saw the awarding of the inaugural "Young Voltaire".
In 2019, Liberty Victoria will broaden its criteria to embrace those who have made outstanding contributions to human rights, free speech or civil liberties, with particular emphasis on progressing freedom, respect, equality, dignity and action.
We have chosen to emphasise action on freedom, respect, equality and dignity as four pillars of human rights and civil liberties.
Without further ado, we seek nominations for the following 2019 Liberty Victoria Voltaire Human Rights Awards, which will be presented at a dinner in Melbourne on Saturday 27 July 2019.
The Liberty Victoria Voltaire Human Rights Award:
To a person or organisation for outstanding contribution to or action on human rights, free speech or civil liberties, with particular emphasis on progressing freedom, respect, equality and dignity.
The Liberty Victoria Young Voltaire Human Rights Award:
To a person or organisation for outstanding contribution to or action on human rights, free speech or civil liberties, with particular emphasis on progressing freedom, respect, equality and dignity. This award will be given to a person no older than 30 on 27 July 2019.
The Liberty Victoria Voltaire Human Rights Empty Chair Award:
The Empty Chair Award will be presented in 2019 to a person who is worthy to receive the Voltaire Human Rights Award or Young Voltaire Human Rights Award, but cannot be present to receive the award due to the consequences of their exercise of or advocacy for human rights, free speech or civil liberties. The 2016 Empty Chair Award was made to Saudi writer, dissident and political prisoner Raif Badawi. We were honoured that his wife Ensaf Haidar welcomed the presentation of the award to Raif. In 2017, the recipient was Iranian cartoonist Ali Dorani aka 'Eaten Fish', until recently imprisoned on Manus Island. In 2018, the Empty Chair award was presented to Behrouz Boochani.
Liberty Victoria invites valued members to nominate a person or group you believe deserves to receive a Liberty Victoria Voltaire Human Rights Award in 2019. You can nominate as many people as you like in each category. Current members of Liberty Victoria’s committees are not eligible to be nominated.
Nominations are not necessarily limited to 'natural persons' - the award can also go to an organisation or category / movement of people. If you wish to nominate an organisation or movement, please provide the name of an appropriate contact or spokesperson.
Please submit your nomination via our Liberty Victoria Voltaire Human Rights Award 2019 nomination form here.
Please note: it is important that the recipients of the Voltaire Human Rights Award and Young Voltaire Human Rights Awards be able to attend the Dinner & Award Ceremony in Melbourne on 27 July 2019 (if you do not wish to make direct contact with your nominee, we can do so if they are shortlisted for the award).
Nominations close on 3 March 2019.
We look forward to receiving your nominations.
Kind regards
Jessie Taylor
President
Liberty Victoria