The Peace Prize

What is the Peace Prize?

Since its foundation in 1963, the United Nations Association of Spain has carried out an activity aimed at the dissemination and achievement of the goals in the United Nations Charter. Moved by this spirit, every October 24, coinciding with the celebration of the international day commemorating the foundation of the Nations United, it annually awards a Peace Prize. Since its first edition in 1980, it wants to recognize the merits of an individual or collective work, a personal trajectory or an entity that stands out for its dedication and efforts to achieve the objectives of the principles encouraged by United Nations: the defense of a peaceful resolution of conflicts, of human rights and of the fundamental freedoms.

The winner of the award, who is chosen in collaboration with the Barcelona Province Council, receives an endowment of 5.000 euros provided by this institution of local government through its network of towns.

See the Bases of the Peace Prize (in Spanish)

Participation form (in Spanish)

Genesis, history and peculiarities

The Peace Prize is awarded on October 24 of each year to commemorate the anniversary of the United Nations foundation. It was an initiative by the Secretary-General, Francesc Noguero, and then president of the Association, the historian Josep Benet. The idea took shape during the plenary assembly of the World Federation of the United Nations Associations (WFUNA), in 1979. A similar award was presented by other organizations of the Federation in their respective countries.

The first edition award was for José Luis Balbín. Just when the decade of the 80s began, the struggle for freedom of expression received recognition in the person of the director of La Clave debate TV programme. Over time, the list of winners increased with other personalities and institutions forming an image of the change in our country and of the evolution of international society. Indeed, so wise has been the choices of different juries of the prize, that their decision has been ratified, at times, by so important awards as the Nobel Peace Prize.  The group of winners has suggested to Francesc Casares, President of honor of UNA-Spain, a reflection, according to which “the selection of the personalities who have been awarded highlights the moment of sensitivity in our environment,  on the topic of peace in every moment”. And with the term peace  we don’t make reference directly to the absence of war, but to the action of “those who have favored a fair peace and, from this perspective, a fair world is a world where human rights are respected”. From this ideal of justice, we may obtain a concentration of romanticism that pervades all winning candidates. It is, however, “a romanticism in the sense of realism because we have to fight against the loss of values of idealism and altruism”, insists Francesc Casares.