More than a dozen Laureates of the Swedish Right Livelihood Award, also known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize,’ are set to gather in Bangkok for a conference 20-22 February to discuss how education and activism can be linked closer together to inspire the holistic change needed to tackle the world’s most pressing problems.
The Right Livelihood Award seeks to highlight the work of people and organisations that contribute to solving global challenges, such as climate change, ensuring sustainable development and upholding human rights.
The conference will be an opportunity for Laureates, who are coming from all over the world and bringing a wide range of expertise, to discuss best practices on sharing their knowledge with the wider public. They will specifically focus on ways academia can be used to educate activists on proven solutions and how activists in return can bring their experience in grassroots organisation to academia. The meetings are also meant to strengthen generational links.
The conference will include both open and closed sessions with the participation of Laureates, experts and students. Laureates will also be available for media interviews.
The conference, co-hosted by the Right Livelihood Foundation and the School for Wellbeing, is the first of a series of three large-scale gatherings to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Right Livelihood Award and to celebrate 10 years of the Right Livelihood College.
What
Conference: Education for Right Livelihood – Connecting Activism and Academia
Who
More than a dozen Right Livelihood Award Laureates, including Sulak Sivaraksa (1995 Laureate, Thailand); Nnimmo Bassey (2010 Laureate, Nigeria); Vandana Shiva (1993 Laureate, India); and representatives of the Landless Workers’ Movement, MST (1991 Laureate; Brazil). The full list of participating Laureates can be found here.
When
February 20, Thursday: Closed sessions for Laureates (press interviews possible during the day)
February 21, Friday: Public Forum (open to the press)
February 22, Saturday: Excursion to Wongsanit Ashram, a spiritual activist community founded by Laureate Sulak Sivaraksa (possibility for members of the press to join)
Where
The conference will be held at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, and Wongsanit Ashram, located 40 km outside the city.
Interested media are requested to reach out for further information on press arrangements.
Contact
International media
Emoke Bebiak, emoke.bebiak@rightlivelihood.org, +41 78 333 84 84
Thai media
Kanyanat Lertkhonsan, schoolforwellbeing.studies@gmail.com, +66 93 554 8770
About the Right Livelihood Foundation
Established in 1980, the Right Livelihood Award honours and supports courageous people solving global problems. To date, there are 178 Laureates from 70 countries. The Swedish Right Livelihood Foundation presenting the Award sees its role as being a megaphone and shield for the Laureates and provides them with long-term support. It also helps protect Award recipients whose lives and liberty are in danger. The Foundation has Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council.
#RightLivelihoodAward rightlivelihood.org @rightlivelihood
About the Right Livelihood College
The Right Livelihood College is a global capacity-building initiative of the Right Livelihood Foundation and several universities founded in 2009. By linking young academics and civil society organisations with Right Livelihood Award recipients, the College spreads awareness about and further expands the pioneering work of Laureates. The College operates as a global network of university campuses. Every Right Livelihood Laureate is automatically a Fellow of the Right Livelihood College, where they engage in teaching, discussions with students, scientific research and practical activities to share and upscale their work.
