The Jury of the Max van der Stoel Award selected Natur og Ungdom from Norway as the winner of the 2024 Max van der Stoel Award in recognition of its efforts to give young people of all backgrounds in Norway a voice in environmental policy.
2024 Winner: Natur og Ungdom
Natur og Ungdom shows how environmental issues – such as climate change, sustainable development and the allocation of resources – can be an opportunity to unite society around effective policies that also respect fundamental human rights. Natur og Ungdom uses these issues to build bridges between communities by incorporating Sámi youth as active members and by carrying out its environmental advocacy in co-ordination with other Sámi activists and organizations. The organization has demonstrated that environmental issues can be addressed in solidarity among majority and minority populations, fostering a sense of common purpose on a topic of crucial importance to youth in Norway.
The award, organized by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and sponsored by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Netherlands, recognizes extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities across the OSCE countries.