The Polish Prize of Sérgio Vieira de Mello – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2002-2003) was established by the Villa Decius Association in 2003. It is awarded to persons and non-governmental organizations for their activities for the sake of peaceful co-existence and cooperation of societies, religions and cultures. The prize is awarded in 2 categories: person and organisation by the jury consisting of the representatives of the President of the Republic of Poland, Embassies of Brazil and Sweden, Consulate fo the United States, UNHCR, Polish Institute of National Rememberence, Polish Human Rights Defender, PAUCI Foundation, ZNAK Foundation, private sponsors such as ZUE S.A., Kraków Airport, Regional Director of PZU and Villa Decius Association.
The Gala was opened by Bogusław Sonik, the President of Villa Decius Association who remided the figure of Sérgio Vieira de Mello and the ideals of the democratic opposition under communism. Then Alfredo Leoni (Ambassador of Brazil to Poland), Inga Eriksson Fogh (Ambassador of Sweden to Poland), Anna-Carin Ost (UNHCR) and Adam Bodnar (Commissioner for Human Rights of Poland) welcomed the distibguished guests and participants of the ceremony.
The prize in the category "person" was awarded to Pietro Bartolo - the director of the hospital on the Lampedusa island who has been for more than 20 years giving emergency medical treatment to the subsequent waves of migrants and refugees passing through the the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Quoting Wojciech Ponikiewski's (Director of the Department of United Nations and Human Rights at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Ministry) justification of the verdict of the Panel of Judges: "While Europe is afraid to stand up to its values and challenges, Pietro Bartolo is not afraid and that's how he's saving our world and our values". According to the Judges, the future of Europe is to be decided at the Lampedusa Island. Thanks to Pietro Bartolo Europe has a chance to return to its key values. Pietro Bartolo himself doesn't see his work as a "heroic acts". "I am just a man who tries to perform his duties" - he said in the speech.
The prize in the category "organisation" was awarded to La Strada Foundation. La Strada, which is celebrating 20th anniversary of its establishment, works from a human rights perspective in support of trafficked persons. Its aim is to ensure a world without trafficking in human beings where human rights are respected. La Strada’s primary goal is empowering trafficked persons, improving their position through promoting their universal rights, including the right to choose to emigrate and work abroad and to be protected from violence and abuse. La Strada’s philosophy, guiding its anti-trafficking work and its provision of services, is based on a human rights approach. "We're really grateful for your appreciation. The award will give us even more enthusiasm for work" - the director of La Strada Poland said in her speech.
Finally the honorary Polish Sergio Vieira de Mello Prize was awarded to Sergey Kovalev - Russian human rights activist. During the Soviet Union era he was sentenced to penal colony for his dissident activity. A member of the independent Action Group for the Defence of Human Rights, a co-founder of the human rights society Memorial and the Moscow branch of Amnesty International. In post-Soviet Russia, he was a member of parliament, a member of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, the chairman of the parliamentary Human Rights Committee, the chairman of the President's Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Ombudsman, and a member of the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He has criticised authoritarian tendencies of the administrations of Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. He protested against the war in Chechnya in public. In April 2014, he made an appeal to the international community in an open letter to stop the Russian expansion in Ukraine. Nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. A laureate of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought awarded by the European Parliament. Decorated with the Great Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
The prize in the category "organisation" was awarded to La Strada Foundation. La Strada, which is celebrating 20th anniversary of its establishment, works from a human rights perspective in support of trafficked persons. Its aim is to ensure a world without trafficking in human beings where human rights are respected. La Strada’s primary goal is empowering trafficked persons, improving their position through promoting their universal rights, including the right to choose to emigrate and work abroad and to be protected from violence and abuse. La Strada’s philosophy, guiding its anti-trafficking work and its provision of services, is based on a human rights approach. "We're really grateful for your appreciation. The award will give us even more enthusiasm for work" - the director of La Strada Poland said in her speech.
Finally the honorary Polish Sergio Vieira de Mello Prize was awarded to Sergey Kovalev - Russian human rights activist. During the Soviet Union era he was sentenced to penal colony for his dissident activity. A member of the independent Action Group for the Defence of Human Rights, a co-founder of the human rights society Memorial and the Moscow branch of Amnesty International. In post-Soviet Russia, he was a member of parliament, a member of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, the chairman of the parliamentary Human Rights Committee, the chairman of the President's Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Ombudsman, and a member of the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He has criticised authoritarian tendencies of the administrations of Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. He protested against the war in Chechnya in public. In April 2014, he made an appeal to the international community in an open letter to stop the Russian expansion in Ukraine. Nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. A laureate of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought awarded by the European Parliament. Decorated with the Great Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
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