Syrian volunteers win ‘alternative’ Nobel prize
STOCKHOLM: A group of Syrian volunteers who assist civilians amid their country’s civil war, often at great personal risk, were yesterday honoured with a prize that has commonly come to be known as “the alternative Nobel prize”.
The White Helmets organisation won the Right Livelihood Award for “outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians”.
The Syrian group – the first winner from that country – has about 3 000 members dedicated to rescuing people from bombed houses, fighting fires and offering first aid, the jury said.
The White Helmets hailed the announcement as “the best news we have in these dark days in which we live...
“God has rewarded all of us for our humanitarian work,” said Ibrahim al Hajj, a spokesman for the group in the besieged city of Aleppo, said by telephone.
He said he was speaking from the scene of a recent airstrike, where the group is carrying out rescue operations. He noted that more than 200 raids were launched overnight.
“We are overwhelmed and happy, as people outside saw what we do and know our message and reward us,” said Abdel Rahman Hassan, another volunteer.
The group’s director, Raed al Saleh, said it was in “international recognition of volunteer rescue workers the world over, as well as the bravery of ordinary Syrian civilians trying to lead life with dignity”. Al Saleh, who was attending meetings at the UN General Assembly in New York, added that the group had rescued about 62 000 civilians since it was formed three years ago.
Jury and foundation board member Marianne Andersson met the White Helmets in July in Istanbul, Turkey. – dpa