Ramin Jahanbegloo wins UN Peace prize

October 30, 2009

Research Fellow Ramin Jahanbegloo is the recipient of the 30th Peace Prize awarded by the United Nations Association in Spain (UNA).

Founded in 1962, the UNA, with its headquarters in Barcelona, aims to spread the principles and goals of the United Nations, promote and defend human rights, and guard over the fulfillment of the commitments governments made in the framework of the United Nations towards the achievement of peace, justice and development. The UNA Peace Prize recognizes Dr. Jahanbegloo’s contributions as a philosopher of nonviolence and a passionate advocate for human rights, free and robust civil societies, and the principles of toleration that sustain them. He has contributed greatly to public understanding of these issues through his many interventions on the international stage.

Dr. Jahanbegloo taught in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto from 1997-2001. He later served as the head of the Department of Contemporary Studies of the Cultural Research Centre in Tehran and was Rajni Kothari Professor of Democracy at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in New Delhi, India. In April 2006 Dr. Jahanbegloo was arrested in Tehran Airport and charged with preparing a velvet revolution in Iran. He was placed in solitary confinement for four months and released on bail.

More information is available on the Centre for Ethics‘ website.