Nansen Award – A Symbol of Hope
“This year’s Nansen Award … shows to the stateless people all over the world that their voices are heard. For them, this award is a symbol of hope.”
Azizbek Ashurov
Azizbek Ashurov, the head of Ferghana Valley Lawyers without Borders, was honored with the prestigious Nansen Award, becoming the first person ever to win the award for work on statelessness. Ashurov received 2019 Nansen Award for his 16-year commitment to support the efforts of the Kyrgyz Republic to become the first country to eradicate statelessness. Through FVLWB, Azizbek Ashurov has helped over 10,800 individuals gain Kyrgyz nationality after becoming stateless following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Among these, approximately 2,000 children now have the right to education, as well as the freedom to travel, marry, and work.
“Azizbek Ashurov’s story is one of great personal resolve and tenacity…His commitment to the cause of eradicating statelessness in Kyrgyzstan – an achievement secured in partnership with the Kyrgyz government and others across the country – is a compelling example of the power of an individual to inspire and mobilize collective action”
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees presenting the award
About the Nansen Award
The Nansen Refugee Award is a medal issued annually by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to an individual, group, or organization in recognition of outstanding service to the cause of refugees, displaced, or stateless people. The award was established by UNHCR in 1954 celebrates the legacy of Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian scientist, polar explorer, diplomat, and the first High Commissioner for Refugees for the League of Nations.
The inaugural awardee was Eleanor Roosevelt in 1954. Every year, the prize is presented at a ceremony in the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, in Geneva. Past laureates of the award include prominent individuals and organizations such as Dr. Angela Merkel, former Chancellor of Germany; Senator Edward Kennedy of the United States; Luciano Pavarotti, an Italian operatic tenor; UN Volunteers; Médecins Sans Frontières; and The League of Red Cross Societies.