Frequently Asked Questions

Any individual, group of people or organization that has done extraordinary humanitarian work on behalf of refugees, displaced or stateless people is eligible – with the exception of former and current UNHCR staff, including United Nations Volunteers (UNVs) working for UNHCR offices, are ineligible.

Self-nominations are strongly discouraged. This includes individuals and organizations nominating themselves.

Nominees are considered in the following light:

• The deed for which the person/entity is nominated should take place outside the framework of normal professional duties and go beyond the call of duty;
• It should demonstrate courage, compassion and solidarity;
• It should raise awareness  for displaced people; and
• It should reflect the values of UNHCR.

The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award Selection Committee chooses the Global Laureate and the Regional Winners. Its voting members are:

• A member designated by the Norwegian Government;
• A member designated by the Swiss Government;
• The Secretary-General of the Council of Europe;
• Executive Director of the International Council of Voluntary Agencies;
• and the Chairperson of UNHCR’s Executive Committee.

Yes, the selection of the Global Laureate and Regional Winners is completely confidential.

The nomination period for the 2023 edition of the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award has now closed. Nominations for 2024 will open in January.

Nominations can be submitted in English, Spanish, French and Arabic on this page.

All nominations must be submitted online. Once your submission is received, you will see a confirmation at the end of the form. If your nomination is successful, you will receive an email from the Nansen Team.

No. Nominations can be submitted in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

Nominations should include a description of the nominee’s work and how they fulfil the selection criteria. This includes details of why the nominee should be considered, evidence that they have positively impacted the lives of forcibly displaced or stateless people, and links to supporting articles and publications. Additional information supporting the nomination – including websites, news articles, social media posts and other awards bestowed on the nominee – is welcome.

Nominations must include the names and contact details of three references. These referees should represent different perspectives (not from the same organization) and be able to verify specific ways in which the nominee’s work has made a significant impact on the lives of refugees, internally displaced people, stateless people, asylum seekers or resettled refugees.

Since 2017, we have recognized several regional winners each year in addition to the Global Laureate. In 2022, the regional winners attended the ceremony for the first time.

The Nansen ceremony is typically held in early October on the first day of the UNHCR Executive Committee’s annual meeting. In 2023, the ceremony will exceptionally take place on December 13, in connection with the second Global Refugee Forum.

Unfortunately, the event is not open to the public. However, you can watch a live broadcast of the ceremony on UNHCR’s global social media channels.

Thank you for your interest in supporting the Nansen Refugee Award programme. Please write to [email protected] for further information.

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