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SERGIO VIEIRA DE MELLO PRIZE
Laureates 2009

About the Prize

About Sergio Vieira de Mello

Nomination form (doc)

Awarding Process (pdf)

Regulations (pdf)

The ceremony of awarding the Sergio Vieira de Mello Prize took place within the framework of an international conference "Challenges of Freedom" on 8 October 2009 at Villa Decius, Krakow. Among the laureates there are: Fatos Lubonja (In the "individual" category), United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (In the "NGO" category), Leopold Unger (Special Prize).

Fatos Lubonja

In 1974 he finished his studies in Physics. In the same year was imprisoned after police found his writings. In 1979 he was sentenced to a further 16 years. Was released from prison in 1991 and became involved in human rights, as the General Secretary of Albanian Helsinki Committee. In 1994 has founded the quarterly review 'Përpjekja' ('Endeavor'). Author of many publications: The Final Slaughter (1994), In the Seventeenth Year (1994), The Second Sentence (1996), Threatened Freedom (1999), Botime Përpjekja (1999), Albania Wolność Zagrożona (2005), Albania's Heritage in Danger with Artan Shkreli, ed. (2000); Intervista sull' Albania, Dalle carceri di Enver Hoxha al liberismo selvaggio, (2004).

Leopold Unger

Leopold Unger (also known as Brukselczyk or Pol Mathil), was born in 1922 in Lwów, Poland (currently Ukraine); journalist, columnist, essayist. He started his career in 1948 in Bucharest as correspondent for the Polish Press Agency, then worked in Warsaw in the daily 'Życie Warszawy', laid off for political reasons in 1967, then forced to leave Poland in 1969. Has lived in Belgium since 1969, and writes for the Brussels daily 'Le Soir' as columnist and commentator specialized in international affairs, mainly ex-USSR and Eastern Europe. During the period of 1974-1982 he was also a columnist for the 'International Herald Tribune' in Paris, regular commentator for the Polish Section of Radio Free Europe. Unger publishes a monthly essay in 'Kultura' (Paris), a main Polish democratic opposition forum and since its beginning writes a regular column for the Warsaw daily 'Gazeta Wyborcza'. He was formerly a fellow at the Wilson Center for International Scholars (Washington DC).

United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

One of the main goals of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq is strengthening political processes, with the emphasis on reconciliation between nations, cultures and reinforcement of democratic practices and values. UNAMI's main objective is to advise the Government of Iraq on the development of processes for holding elections and referenda but also UNAMI employees are engaged in grass-root initiatives by transferring their know-how, and good governance practices. UNAMI promotes, and facilitates the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance and, economic reform, capacity-building and the conditions for sustainable development.