Somsak Kosaisook from Thailand receives the FES Human Rights Award 2006

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Since 1994, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) has been annually granting a Human Rights Award to people or organizations, that have been outstanding in preventing international conflicts or any form of violence towards people. The FES human rights award goes back to the legacy of two social democrats, the couple Karl and Ida Feist. Their last will was that the FES administers their inheritance and uses it to grant an annual human rights award. For many years, Karl and Ida Feist were actively engaged in the workers’ movement. Their own bitter experiences with war and destruction motivated them in their dedication towards peace and non-violence. 

Since 1994, organizations as well as people from all over the world have been honored with the award as a sign of support for and solidarity with their work and their commitment to human rights, sometimes even at one’s own personal risk.

For the year 2006, the Human Rights Award was granted to Mr. Somsak Kosaisook, a Thai trade union leader and senior democracy activist. The handing over ceremony was held on September 19, 2006 at the FES head office in Berlin. Present were Mrs. Anke Fuchs, Chairwoman of the FES and Mr. Michael Sommer, President of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB) as well as around 100 representatives from German politics, trade unions, business, human rights organizations and the media.