Alternative Nobel for Friends of the Earth International Chair5 October 2010
Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth's global network, has won a Right Livelihood Award 2010.
The prestigious prize goes to four people each year for grassroots action and their contribution to a wider social movement.
The Right Livelihood Foundation has given the award - known as the Alternative Nobel Prize - to 141 world activists since 1980.
Former winners include Wangari Maathai, Amory Lovins and Vandana Shiva.
Environmental rights powerhouse
Nnimmo is Chair of Friends of the Earth International and Director of Friends of the Earth Nigeria.
He sees this award as "a vindication of the just and resolute struggles for environmental justice by impacted communities globally".
When a man stands alone he can easily be broken. When we stand together, then we are strengthened to forge ahead.
Nnimmo Bassey
His work in environmental and human rights advocacy goes back to the 1980s. Last year TIME Magazine 2009 named Nnimmo one of its Heroes of the Environment 2009.
Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria has been campaigning since the 1990s for an end to gas flaring.
The group is pressing a groundbreaking court case against Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell for polluting the Niger Delta.
Larger movement
Nnimmo has been Chair of Friends of the Earth International since 2008.
Did you know?
Friends of the Earth International has around 2 million supporters across 77 countries.
The national groups that make up the network campaign on issues ranging from climate justice to food, economics to biodiversity, and mining to water.
Last year Nnimmo led Friends of the Earth's high-profile work at the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen. At the talks we stood with Africa in calling for a fair global climate agreement.
He will receive the Right Livelihood Award at a ceremony in the Swedish Parliament, Stockholm, on 6 December.
Find out more about Nnimmo Bassey.
© Friends of the Earth International
