[E-rundbrief] Info 875 - Alternative Nobelpreise 2009 - Statements

Do Dez 3 12:25:46 CET 2009

E-Rundbrief - Info 875 - Right Livelihood Award Foundation (S): The 2009
Right Livelihood Awards say that the party is over - but with plenty
opportunities for change. Statements at a press conference in Stockholm,
Dec. 3, 2009.

Bad Ischl, 3.12.2009

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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The 2009 Right Livelihood Awards say that the party is over - but with
plenty opportunities for change

Press Release Dec 3 2009

The Recipients of the 2009 Right Livelihood Awards made the following
statements at a press conference in Stockholm on Thursday, Dec 3th, 9:30
CET.

David Suzuki:

"Human beings have very suddenly become a global force, affecting the
physical, chemical and biological features of the planet on a geological
scale.  But for most of human existence, we were a local tribal animal.
We have no mechanism to respond to crises as a single species. Our
borders and boundaries make no ecological sense.

We have compounded the problem by setting the economy (a human-created
system) above the principles and conditions of sustainability dictated
by the biosphere (a natural system). So we have partied as if there is
no tomorrow, using things up and throwing them away without regard to
the future. Well, the party's over and we have to sober up, clean up our
mess, assess our situation and get on with acting for a future."

René Ngongo:

"One of the key players when it comes to the prospects of survival of
our worlds’ rainforests is the World Bank – which I together with
colleagues from other organisations address today in an open letter
(available at www.rightlivelihood.org/ngongo_publications.html). In my
country, World Bank sponsored forest reforms could result in more
support for the logging industry under the guise of so-called
'sustainable management'. The Bank should instead promote alternatives
that benefit the Congolese people and the global climate.

Climate change is the biggest threat our planet has to face right now.
The world must act now – if not, we risk to suffer from growing and
irreversible disturbances that will exceed our capacities to adapt. We
expect from the leaders who will soon meet in Copenhagen to take
appropriate measures based on concrete and scientific evidence and
binding commitments in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

Alyn Ware:

"We have an historic opportunity provided by President Obama who has put
forward a vision for a nuclear-weapons-free world. We should not be too
critical that he has not yet put forward a comprehensive plan on how to
achieve this vision. We have put forward such a plan - a Nuclear Weapons
Convention or draft treaty on the prohibition an elimination of nuclear
weapons - now being circulated by the United Nations.

We can assist in realising President Obama's vision by moving our
governments to start work now to achieve a Nuclear Weapons Convention.
We don't have to wait until every country agrees. Like as happened with
the Landmines Convention and the Cluster Munitions Convention,
preparatory work and even preliminary negotiations could start with a
core group of like-minded governments supported by civil society. Such
leadership would build political momentum and put pressure on the
hold-out governments to join."

Catherine Hamlin:
* Due to medical reasons, Dr Hamlin was unfortunately not able to come
to Stockholm and is therefore represented by Annette Bennett and Matron
Ejigayheu from the Fistula Hospital. The following citation is, however,
hers.

"If there are three burdens in life that we seek to avoid, it is pain,
physical discomfort and social exclusion. Obstetric fistula is a
life-long condition that produces all three in the same individual and
in millions of women world-wide.

If the Right Livelihood Award is an award for personal courage and
social transformation, perhaps it should be awarded to each woman in
Ethiopia, or elsewhere, who resolves to make a long journey to a remote
and unfamiliar hospital where her courage is further tested by medical
operations on parts of her body normally private. Medical success is
always a wonderful reward for a doctor, but the social transformation
resulting from a woman's personal struggle is an award that only she has
earned."

	Anniversary Conference in Bonn, Germany, Sept 2010 	

On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Right Livelihood Awards,
the City of Bonn invites all Laureates to a conference from September
15-18, 2010.

Jakob von Uexkull, Founder and Chairman of the Right Livelihood Award
Foundation, said at the press conference:

"For the 30th time, this prize has brought together four outstanding
individuals. I have always regarded this award as a shared award,
because today, our problems are global and inter-connected, and so must
be our solutions. Thus, it is my pleasure to announce that next
September, all Laureates - from 1980 to 2009 - will be invited to Bonn,
Germany.

For 30 years, our Laureates have warned about the effects of our current
course of development in many fields, and highlighted viable
alternatives. We hope that this conference will be a wake-up call, and
an inspiration, for a profound change of course in order to secure our
common future."

More information at www.rightlivelihood.org/rla30.html

	Further information & Award Ceremony 	

  The Right Livelihood Awards will be presented tomorrow, Friday 4 Dec
at 6 pm in the Swedish Parliament. The award acceptance speeches will be
made available that day at 6 pm at www.rightlivelihood.org/press_room.html

For more information about the Award Ceremony and press accreditation
please see www.rightlivelihood.org/press_release_nov_26_2009.html

Founded in 1980, the Right Livelihood Awards are presented for the 30th
time this year. The total prize money is EUR 150,000. 82 candidates from
46 countries were proposed for the Right Livelihood Awards this year,
whereof 36 come from industrialized and 46 from "developing" countries.

Video (broadcast quality, free to use) supporting this press releases is
available at http://download.rightlivelihood.org/files/

	Contact 	

Right Livelihood Award Foundation
PO Box 15072, 104 65 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: +46-8-702 03 40
Fax: +46-8-702 03 38
E-mail: press @ rightlivelihood.org, info @ rightlivelihood.org

Sign up to receive our NEWSLETTER: www.rightlivelihood.org/newsletter.html

-- 

Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at
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