Stockholm, 10 December 2004 
 
PRESS RELEASE

Jakob von Uexkull Congratulates Wangari Maathai in Oslo 
 

The founder and chairman of the Right Livelihood Award Foundation, Jakob von Uexkull, is in Oslo today on the invitation of Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai. Maathai received the Right Livelihood Award in 1984.

Uexkull comments on the Nobel Peace Prize to Maathai: "It is encouraging to see that the Norwegian Nobel Committee has widened their concept of peace to include aspects of environmental security and democracy. This is truly in the spirit of Alfred Nobel. I am glad that the Nobel Committee has decided to honour a Right Livelihood Award Recipient twenty years after she received our prize. If the Committee continues to do so, twenty years of delay are alright with me."

Presenting the Right Livelihood Award for the 25th time yesterday Dec 9th von Uexkull said in the Swedish Parliament: "Tomorrow Wangari Maathai receives her Nobel Peace Prize, twenty years after her Right Livelihood Award. The Right Livelihood Awards have protected threatened lives and opened prison doors - as well as the door to ministerial office. They give resources, access, hope and trust. This award is a messenger from the future - as the Nobel Prize to Wangari Maathai shows."

Alfred Nobel wanted to honour those who have brought the greatest benefit to mankind. Uexkull founded the Right Livelihood Award, often referred to as the Alternative Nobel Prize, after selling his valuable stamp collection. He felt there was much important work being done in the fields of peace, human rights, democracy and poverty alleviation that was ignored by the Nobel Prizes.