Human rights award
TheRobert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award was created in 1984 by theRobert F. Kennedy Memorial, now known asRobert F. Kennedy Human Rights , to honor individuals around the world who have shown great courage and have made a significant contribution to human rights in their country.
In addition to receiving a financial award, laureates can partner with the RFK Center on projects to advance their human rights work, benefiting from the resources and technologies at thefoundation 's disposal. Some have achieved their goals, some are in exile from their home country. The majority continue to live in their home country and work with the support of the center to establish the human rights they are working for.
Since 1984, awards have been given to 37 individuals and organizations, from 24 countries.
The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights foundation also presentsRipple of Hope Awards annually to business, entertainment, and activist leaders. The name of the award is inspired by Kennedy'sRipple of Hope speech in 1966.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
Ripple of Hope Award [ edit ] Year Laureate Country 2024[ 8] Lin-Manuel Miranda United States Antonio Neri John W. Rogers Jr. Tom Wilson 2023[ 9] Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust (Peter and Pamela Barbey, and their son Matt) United States Fran Drescher January 6th Select Committee (RepresentativesAguilar ,Cheney ,Kinzinger ,Lofgren ,Luria ,Murphy ,Raskin ,Thompson , andSchiff )2022[ 10] Frank Baker United States Brian Moynihan Michael Polsky Ukraine United States Bill Russell United States Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex &Meghan, Duchess of Sussex United Kingdom United States Volodymyr Zelenskyy Ukraine 2021[ 11] Stacey Abrams United States José E. Feliciano Deven Parekh Hans Vestberg Sweden 2020[ 2] Anthony Fauci United States Dolores Huerta Colin Kaepernick Dan Schulman Dan Springer 2019[ 12] Nancy Pelosi United States J. K. Rowling †United Kingdom Wendy Abrams United States Glen Tullman 2018[ 13] Barack Obama United States David Zaslav Phil Murphy Bruce D. Broussard 2017[ 14] Harry Belafonte United States Alex Gorsky Hamdi Ulukaya Turkey 2016[ 15] [ 16] Howard Schultz United States Joe Biden Scott Minerd 2015[ 17] [ 18] Roger Altman United States Marianna Vardinoyannis Greece Tim Cook United States John Lewis 2014[ 19] [ 20] Donato Tramuto United States Hillary Clinton Robert De Niro Tony Bennett 2013[ 3] Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh John Boyer United States 2012[ 21] [ 22] Taylor Swift United States Vincent Mai 2011[ 3] Al Gore United States Dennis Mathisen 2010[ 3] George Clooney United States Robert F. Smith Marc Spilker 2009[ 3] Bono Ireland Wyclef Jean Haiti 2008[ 3] Desmond Tutu South Africa Clive Davis United States Afsaneh Beschloss Iran 2007[ 3] Bill Clinton United States Bob Pittman
†=Recipient returned their award.[ 23] [ 24]
^ Kim, Allen (July 29, 2020)."Kaepernick and Fauci will be honored as Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights award laureates" .CNN . RetrievedAugust 21, 2021 . ^a b "RFK Human Rights Honors 2020 Ripple of Hope Award Laureates" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights . December 10, 2020. RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .^a b c d e f g "Our Past Laureates" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights .Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. RetrievedAugust 21, 2021 .^ "Human Rights Award" . Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Archived fromthe original on October 23, 2014.^ "Venezuela's Alfredo Romero named 2017 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award laureate" . Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. August 7, 2017. RetrievedFebruary 3, 2018 .^ "Our Lareates" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award . RetrievedFebruary 11, 2021 .^ https://rfkhumanrights.org/awards/human-rights-award-submit-2024/parlamento-del-pueblo-xinka Retrieved 11 December 2023^ "Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Names 2024 Ripple of Hope Award Laureates" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights . May 2024. RetrievedOctober 7, 2025 .^ "2023 Ripple of Hope Award Gala" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights . RetrievedDecember 16, 2023 .^ "2022 Ripple of Hope Award Gala" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights . RetrievedOctober 12, 2022 .^ "2021 Ripple of Hope Award Gala" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights . RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .^ "Our 2019 Ripple of Hope Awards Gala is December 12!" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights . November 20, 2019. RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .^ "2018 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award Laureates Announced" .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights . August 6, 2018. RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .^ "2017 Robert F. Kennedy Annual Report" (PDF) .Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights . 2017. RetrievedAugust 21, 2021 .^ Diamond, Jamie (November 28, 2016)."US Vice President Joe Biden, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and Guggenheim Partners' Scott Minerd to Receive RFK Human Rights' 2016 Ripple of Hope Award" .Politico .Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 . ^ Westcott, Lucy (December 7, 2016)."Joe Biden compares 2016 to 1968" .Newsweek . RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 . ^ Gordon, Amanda (December 9, 2015)."Tim Cook Says the World Needs Robert F. Kennedy-Style Optimism" .Bloomberg .Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 . ^ "Tim Cook Accepts 2015 Ripple of Hope Award at RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights" .MacRumors . December 9, 2015. RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .^ "Dunkirk native receives Robert F. Kennedy 'Ripple of Hope' Award" .observertoday.com . RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .^ Gallagher, Noel K. (December 17, 2014)."Former Ogunquit selectman gets Kennedy Ripple of Hope award" .Press Herald . RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 . ^ "Taylor Swift Honored With RFK Center's Ripple Of Hope Award" .www.prnewswire.com (Press release). RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .^ Miller, Julie (December 4, 2012)."The Kennedy Family Fêtes Taylor Swift (But Where Was Ethel?)" .Vanity Fair . RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 . ^ "JK Rowling returns award from group linked to Kennedy family" .AP NEWS . April 20, 2021. RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .^ "JK Rowling returns award after Kerry Kennedy criticism" .BBC News . August 28, 2020. RetrievedAugust 20, 2021 .
