2011 Nansen Refugee Award Laureate
UNHCR announces the laureate of the Nansen Refugee Award every year in September, following deliberation by the independent Nansen Refugee Award committee. The laureate is honoured by an annual ceremony in early October, in which we pay tribute to their extraordinary work for refugees. The ceremony highlights the work of the winner and includes live performances by musical artists in their honour.
The ceremony is made possible thanks to UNHCRs partners for the Nansen Refugee Award program, the Swiss Government, the Norwegian Government, the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Republic and Canton of Geneva and the Administrative Council of the City of Geneva.
On 13 September UNHCR announced the 2011 Nansen Refugee Award laureate as Nasser Salim Ali Al-Hamairy, founder of Yemens Society for Humanitarian Solidarity (SHS), and his dedicated staff. Al-Hamairy and the staff members of SHS will be honoured at the Nansen Refugee Award ceremony in the evening of 3 October at the Bâtiment de Forces Motrices in Geneva.
Highlights: 2011 Nansen Refugee Award Ceremony
Nansen Award Ceremony: Tributes to Jolie and SHS
Photo Set: The 2011 Nansen Refugee Award
At this year's Nansen Refugee Award presentation ceremony in Geneva, the UN refugee agency paid tribute to award-winning American actress Angelina Jolie and Yemeni humanitarian aid group, the Society for Humanitarian Solidarity, for their outstanding work for refugees over many years.
Jolie was recognized for completing 10 years as UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. The American actress joined UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres to present the Nansen Award to Nasser Salim Ali Al-Hamairy for his NGO's live-saving work in helping tens of thousands of desperate boat people arriving on the coast of Yemen from the Horn of Africa.
The Nansen Refugee Award was created in 1954 in honour of Fridtjof Nansen, the legendary Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat and politician who in the 1920s became the first international High Commissioner for Refugees. It is given annually to an individual or organization for outstanding work on behalf of refugees and consists of a commemorative medal and a US$100,000 prize donated by the governments of Switzerland and Norway.
