Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize facts for kids

The Rafto Prize is a special award given to people who work hard to protect human rights. It's named after Thorolf Rafto, a brave person from Norway who cared a lot about human rights.

Who Gives the Rafto Prize?

The Rafto Foundation for Human Rights gives out this prize every year. This foundation was started to help people have important freedoms, like being able to think and speak freely. The foundation is located in Bergen, Norway. A small team of people and volunteers work together to organize the award ceremony. The ceremony happens every November at Den Nationale Scene in Bergen.

The main idea behind the Rafto Prize is to shine a light on people whose voices might not be heard. This is especially true for those living under unfair governments. The prize helps these human rights heroes get attention from news outlets and support from groups around the world. For example, four people who won the Rafto Prize later also won the Nobel Peace Prize. These amazing people were Aung San Suu Kyi, José Ramos-Horta, Kim Dae-jung, and Shirin Ebadi.

The Story Behind the Prize

Thorolf Rafto was a professor who taught about how economies changed over time. He was also known for helping people in countries like Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Poland. In 1979, he visited Prague to give a talk to students. These students had been kicked out of universities for their political beliefs. During this visit, Rafto was arrested and beaten by the police. This event may have caused injuries that affected his health. Thorolf Rafto passed away on November 4, 1986.

After his death, Rafto's friends and colleagues decided to start a foundation. They wanted to continue his important work of promoting freedom of speech and political expression. They also decided to create a prize for human rights activists. When the "Iron Curtain" fell, many countries in Eastern Europe became more democratic. This meant the foundation could also help people in other parts of the world.

In 1990, the Rafto Prize was given to Aung San Suu Kyi, a leader from Burma (now Myanmar). The very next year, in 1991, she received the Nobel Peace Prize. She won it for her peaceful fight for democracy and human rights. For its first few years, the foundation was based at the Norwegian School of Economics. In 1997, the Rafto Foundation moved to the Human Rights House in Bergen, Norway.

The Award Ceremony

The Rafto Prize is given out every year on the first Sunday in November. Since 1990, the official ceremony has taken place at the National Theatre of Bergen. Many important guests attend the event. These include people from the city of Bergen and the Norwegian government. Professors, supporters of the Rafto Foundation, and members of the Rafto family are also invited.

How Winners Are Chosen

People can nominate candidates for the Rafto Prize until April 1st each year. Groups, organizations, and individuals from all over the world can suggest someone. They just need to know about or care about human rights. People who have won the prize before can also nominate new candidates. However, people cannot nominate themselves or their own staff. After the deadline, a special committee carefully reviews all the applications. The final decision is usually announced at a press conference in September.

List of Winners

Other Sources

• Per Egil Hegge (2016) Fear Shall Not Triumph: The Rafto Prize - 30th Anniversary (Bergen: Fagbokforlaget) ISBN: 978-8253303499
• Atle M. Skjærstad (2016) Uværet som aldri stilnet (Bergen: Vigmostad & Bjørke AS) ISBN: 978-8241912702

See also

In Spanish: Premio Rafto para niños