The Right Livelihood Award, also known as Sweden’s alternative Nobel Prize, was recently awarded to the Swedish teenage climate activist, Greta Thunberg. This prestigious award is shared by other distinguished global leaders, namely: Davi Kopenawa, the Brazilian indigenous leader who fought for the land rights of the Yanomami people; Guo Jianmei, a Chinese women’s rights lawyer; and Aminatou Haidar, a human rights defender from Western Sahara.
Yanomami Tribe
The Yanomami tribe, represented by awardee Davi Kopenawa, is the largest relatively isolated tribe in South America. Residing in the rainforests and mountainous regions of Northern Brazil and Southern Venezuela, the Yanomami people inhabit large communal houses, referred to as Yanos or Shabonos.
The Right Livelihood Award
The inception of the Right Livelihood Award is credited to Swedish-German philanthropist and stamp collector Jakob von Uexkull. Von Uexkull’s proposal to establish two new Nobel Prizes (one for the environment and one to promote knowledge and perspectives of people in impoverished countries) was rejected by the Nobel Foundation, leading him to establish the award himself. This award came to be recognized as the alternative Nobel Prize due to its founding history and the associated efforts to promote sustainability, social justice, and peace.
Greta Thunberg and The FridaysForFuture Campaign
Greta Thunberg, a symbol of youth activism, won the Right Livelihood Award for her inspiring, ongoing, and amplifying efforts pushing for immediate global action on climate change. Her FridaysForFuture campaign sparked a worldwide movement, inspiring millions of young people to take to the streets to demand necessary action from their government against climate change. This wave of activism touched several parts of the globe, including India, where students took part in large scale protests demanding climate action.
| Award Recipient | Field of Work |
|---|---|
| Greta Thunberg | Climate activism |
| Davi Kopenawa | Land rights for Yanomami people |
| Guo Jianmei | Women’s rights in China |
| Aminatou Haidar | Human rights in Western Sahara |
The Global Activism Movement
The recognition of these individuals by the Right Livelihood Award brings global attention to crucial issues such as land rights, women’s rights, human rights, and climate change. The proactive measures taken by these leaders and the resulting global actions underscore the importance of activism in influencing political decision-making and pushing forward social justice, peace, and sustainability.