UNESCO invites Members States in consultation with their National Commissions, non-governmental organizations in official partnership with UNESCO, various professional, academic and non-governmental organizations active in the field of ethics of science and technology, members of relevant UNESCO’s expert bodies and UNESCO’s partners, to propose candidates for the UNESCO Avicenna Prize for Ethics in Science 2019.
This year it will reward activities in the field of advancing the “Ethics of Environment” with a special thematic focus on ethics of climate change and environmental sustainability.
Deadline for the submission of candidates: 9 September 2019 at 23:59 (Paris time, UTC+1).
Nominations should strictly take into consideration this year’s theme and the specific thematic vision of the Prize.
Its purpose is to reward activities in the field of ethics in science, including:
- high-quality ethical scholarly reflection and research on issues raised by recent scientific and technological advances;
- major contributions to providing advice to policy-makers on ethical questions in research and development in order to establish and support science ethics policies and committees;
- activities aimed at developing education and training regarding the ethical dimensions of science;
- outstanding contributions to fostering science communication, public awareness and debate on the ethics of science and technology.
The Prize may be conferred upon individuals, institutions, other entities or non-governmental organizations. Nominees (i.e. candidates) must be living persons or existing institutions.
Established in 2003 by the Executive Board of UNESCO on the initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Prize owes its name to the renowned 11th-century physician and philosopher of Persian origin known in Europe as Avicenna (980-1038). A healer and a humanist, Avicenna developed an exemplary holistic approach that captures the essence of ethics in science and has thus come to serve as a source of inspiration for the promotion of this concern, which is of central importance to UNESCO.
The Prize consists of a gold medal of Avicenna along with a certificate, the sum of USD 50,000. The Prize-winner is also invited for a one-week academic visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, during which he/she will deliver speeches in relevant academic gatherings, organized for this purpose by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
How to submit your nomination
Nominations for the Prize should be submitted, no later than 9 September 2019.
Users with UNESCO accounts can submit candidatures online at: www.unesco.org/avicenna.
Other potential submitters are invited to request an account at www.unesco.org/avicenna/account.
The account will allow online submission of the nomination.
If the nomination has to be sent by postal services, the complete file should be sent in three ‘hard copies’, or copied on three digital supports (USB, CD or DVD). Applications should be addressed to the Secretariat of the Prize.
- More detailed information on what should be included in the nomination file
- More information on the Prize
Download the Nomination Form
