Zagreb, December 19, 2023
On December 7, 2023, at the Croatian National Theater in Osijek, our colleague, the Program Director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Branka Vierda, was awarded the "Krunoslav Sukić" Prize for the promotion of peace, nonviolence, and human rights.
The "Krunoslav Sukić" Prize is intended for individuals for their activities in the Republic of Croatia, or actions that have an impact on building sustainable peace and a culture of nonviolence in the Republic of Croatia and its surroundings, the Western Balkan countries. The award recognizes persistent, courageous, and inclusive resistance to violence, the application of nonviolent methods in the protection and promotion of human rights and freedoms, the transformation of social conflicts and disputes, and the encouragement of creative, supportive, and collaborative responses to threats to peaceful sustainable development.
The award is presented by the Committee for the "Krunoslav Sukić" Prize of the Center for Peace and Nonviolence Osijek. In the justification for the award given to Branka, we highlight:
The Award for the Promotion of Peace, Nonviolence, and Human Rights "Krunoslav Sukić" 2023 is awarded with gratitude to Branka Vierda for her courageous, persistent, and peaceably creative contribution to connecting, empowering, and collaborating with young people from Croatia and other post-Yugoslav states. She approaches the wartime and post-war legacy as an opportunity for building peace, reconciliation, acknowledgment of responsibility and mistakes, fighting against nationalism, and strengthening the role of youth in building a democratic society.
Branka Vierda's example is inspiring. As an activist of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, and for the last six years, the Program Director, Branka Vierda represents a new generation of activists who continue to work on building a democratic and pluralistic society that responsibly confronts the traumas of the past, analyzes their causes, and takes responsibility. Through her work, she promotes young people as co-creators of solutions to challenges in a community divided by nationalism, democratic deficits, and skepticism towards those perceived as "others." Branka leads by example, but also coordinates and initiates projects and initiatives in which thousands of young people from post-Yugoslav countries and beyond have participated.
The full justification for awarding the prize to Branka can be found at this link: link
We sincerely thank all this year's and previous laureates of the "Krunoslav Sukić" Prize for their dedicated and persistent work in building peace, nonviolence, and human rights.
Congratulations!