The 2019 International Hrant Dink Award goes to Nebahat Akkoç from Turkey and Agnes Kharshiing from India

Nebahat Akkoç, who has been endlessly encouraging all women, not only in twenty-three provinces but throughout Turkey, she opposes male violence and the social inequality it creates and as a rights defender distant from political polarization, she courageously stands against all manners of violence, wherever and whomever it comes from and continues her work on women’s human rights. She has received her award from the award juries Ercan Kesal and Sarkis. In her speech, she said “I accept this precious award, on behalf of all the women who, believe that revolution begins within themselves and within the family, who bear in mind all the costs while standing against violence, and allowing us to dream of a new world by developing new means to overcome the violence that they have experienced.”

Agnes Kharshiing from India speaks out boldly against the corruption in the state’s policies in agriculture and relieving poverty, and she makes the years-long illegal mining known to the public. She continued the rights’ struggle, against all obstacles, to defend the rights of the poor, women, children and the disadvantaged in the region where she lives. Kharshiing received her award from human rights defender, award committee member Emma Sinclair-Webb and 2018 International Hrant Dink Award laureate Murat Çelikkan. In her speech, Kharshiing said “Public should start speaking out, give assistance to the vulnerable, help them when human rights are violated so that humanity overcomes hatred. Together we can do a lot and usher to bring peace in this world where children can be filled with love and not fear.”

2019 INSPIRATIONS
In Sudan, university student Alaa Salah, known as the “Woman in White,” and the women who played an important role to end the Omar Al-Bashir dictatorship.

In England, the ‘Extinction Rebellion’ group who carries out acts of civil disobedience in order to draw attention to climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the risk of ecological collapse.

At the new İstanbul Airport, construction workers who protested the problems such as fatal workplace accidents, poor working conditions and unpaid wages.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Espace Masolo Center brings children and young people who lost their families or suffered abuse because of war together with art.

Hundreds of pastors and volunteers who held an 800-hour service in the church for the Tamrazyan family had sought refuge in Holland.

The women who objected the coal-burning electric plant in an oak forest near the village of Pınarca in Tekirdağ Province.

The people of Algeria who proved with the “Smile Revolution” that political change can be expressed in a peaceful, inclusive and humorous manner.

Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello who have built pink see-saws in the US-Mexico border to resist the walls through play.

The Village Schools Change Network who works towards the goal of raising the quality of education in Turkey’s village schools and create a solidarity platform for teacher.

The women who formed a 620-km human chain to support allowing entrance to Sabarimala temple in India for women who were considered as “unclean” during having their periods.

Carola Rackete, a captain working with Sea Watch in order to rescue refugees attempting to cross the Mediterranean in boats to reach Europe.

The Colourful Hopes Association which holds workshops in Diyarbakır’s heavily-damaged neighbourhoods to ameliorate the effects of forced migration, loss and poverty upon children.

In Sweden, Greta Thunberg who started the “School boycott for the climate and all of the children who participated globally.

In Syria, Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel took on the job of caring for street cats in war-torn Aleppo.

Female workers in Glasgow who stood behind the statement “equal pay is not a gift to be given” and brought the city to a standstill for two days and resisted till their demands being met.

The “Vigil for Water and Conscience” struggling against the establishment of a gold mine in the Ida Mountains which contains Çanakkale’s only source of potable water.
The award jury for this year is composed of, 2018 International Hrant Dink Award laureate, human rights activist Murat Çelikkan, 2018 International Hrant Dink Award laureate human rights organization Mwatana, human rights activist and former judge Albie Sachs, political scientist Ayşe Kadıoğlu, writer, actor and director Ercan Kesal, human rights activist Özlem Dalkıran, historian Ronald Grigor Suny, artist Sarkis, musician and political activist Serj Tankian, women’s rights activist Zainab Salbi and the President of Hrant Dink Foundation Rakel Dink.
The International Hrant Dink Award was previously presented to, Murat Çelikkan, a human rights activist who conducts projects on collective memory and coming to terms with the past, Mwatana Organization for Human Rights from Yemen which struggle against the human rights violations and protection of rights in the country in 2018, Eren Keskin a lawyer who brings human rights into the agenda of Turkey and abroad, Ai Weiwei an artist draws attention to inequalities all throughout the world, tribal chief who works for children’s human rights and education rights Theresa Kachindamoto, a civil society organisation that works for human rights and rule of law Diyarbakır Bar Association in 2016; women’s rights activist from Saudi Arabia Samar Badawi and LGBT association KAOS GL in 2015; to forensic medicine specialist and human rights defender Şebnem Korur Fincancı and activist Angie Zelter in 2014; to human rights defender Nataša Kandic and Saturday Mothers / People in 2013; to writer İsmail Beşikçi and human rights organisation International “Memorial” Society Russia in 2012; to journalist-writer Ahmet Altan and journalist, human rights defender Lydia Cacho in 2011; the Conscientious Objection Movement of Turkey and prosecutor Baltasar Garzón in 2010; to the journalist-writer Alper Görmüş and journalist-writer Amira Hass in 2009.

Hrant Dink Foundation