Call for nominations: The Global Citizen Award

Global residence and citizenship advisory firm Henley & Partners is pleased to announce the call for nominations for its annual Global Citizen Award. Entering into its fifth year, this unique international accolade honors remarkable individuals tackling the global challenges affecting humanity today. Nominations are open to those who demonstrate vision, courage, and innovation in driving global change, and whose work has a directly positive impact on the lives of people in socially vulnerable groups.

The 2019 laureate will be selected by a distinguished, independent committee and honored at the Global Citizen Award ceremony, the concluding event of the annual Henley & Partners Global Citizenship Conference – taking place this year in London from 11th to 13th November.

Paola De Leo, Head of Philanthropy for Henley & Partners, says that as in previous years, the committee is looking for an inspirational individual whose actions and outlook contribute to a more just, peaceful, connected, and tolerant world. “The United Nations defines global issues as those that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone. From the protection of human rights, to the promotion of education, to the pursuit of democracy, global citizens understand that global issues must be met with a unified effort,” states De Leo.

The selection process is confidential and is based on a majority decision. The award itself consists of a bespoke sculptural medal, an award certificate signed by the Chairman of the Global Citizen Award Committee, and a monetary prize of USD 30,000, which goes towards supporting the awardee’s humanitarian efforts. In addition, Henley & Partners commits itself to working closely with the awardee for a period of one year, raising awareness of their work and supporting the selected project through the firm’s network of more than 30 offices worldwide.

Since its inception in 2015, the Global Citizen Award has honored four remarkable individuals. The first laureate was German entrepreneur Harald Höppner, who set up the refugee humanitarian aid project Sea Watch. In 2016, the recipient was Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, Africa’s largest disaster relief organization. In 2017, the laureate was Monique Morrow, Co-Founder of The Humanized Internet, a digital identity project that aims to bring hope to the estimated 1.1 billion individuals in the world who cannot prove their legal identity. Last year, the award went to Diep Vuong, Co-Founder and President of the Pacific Links Foundation, one of the leading organizations in Southeast Asia campaigning for the rights of those enslaved by human trafficking, as well those rescued from such enslavement.

Looking back on the impact of the accolade, Vuong says, “Human trafficking is a global epidemic, one that can only be combatted by global citizens. Being supported over the past year by an international firm like Henley & Partners allowed us to expand our reach and forge new connections with those who want to turn the tide. We have been deeply grateful for the award, and honored to be recognized alongside the previous laureates.”

Commenting on the award’s history and significance, Dr. Christian H. Kälin, Group Chairman of Henley & Partners, says, “Global citizenship is a founding principle of Henley & Partners, and over the years, we have been proud to pay tribute to those who exemplify that spirit. Each of the four Global Citizen Award laureates have inspired us with their willingness to act in confronting a problem that many see as simply too vast to address. The issues that we face today transcend the family, the tribe, the village, and the nation. It’s more critical than ever that we do what we can to support those working at the grassroots level, on initiatives that directly change the lives of vulnerable people around the world.”

Nominations close on 5^th June 2019