A global search is under way for the next recipient of the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award
A global search is under way for a person who is making the world a better place either at home or abroad.
Nominations opened this week for the the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award, an annual honour given to people from anywhere in the world who work to make life better. Previous winners have included Scottish aid workers Linda Norgrove and Khalil Dale, both of whom were kidnapped and lost their lives while working overseas.
Last year's winner was David Nott, a Welsh consultant surgeon who works mainly in London hospitals now often styled the "Indiana Jones of surgery" because of the amount of volunteering he has done in disaster and war zones.
Members of the public are being encouraged to put forward the names of those who have “saved, improved or enriched the lives of others or society as a whole, through personal self-sacrifice, selfless service or direct humanitarian work”.
The winner will receive the 2017 award and the equivalent of 1759 guineas (around £1,800) – the amount signifying the year of Burns’ birth and the coinage then in circulation.
Robert Burns was a person who viewed everyone as equal and genuinely lived as a true humanitarian
Bill McIntosh, chair of the judging panel, said: "Robert Burns was a person who viewed everyone as equal and genuinely lived as a true humanitarian and we're looking for people who live up to his ethos.
“There's no 'one size fits all' description for what makes someone a humanitarian – and a potential Robert Burns Humanitarian Award nominee. However, the one thing our nominees always have in common is a passion and commitment to human rights and a determination to ensure that they push the boundaries for social change to make a difference for others.
"Nominees don't have to be someone you know – it could be someone you've seen in the media or have heard about in other ways and that you know is doing some terrific work to make a difference for people in difficult and unimaginable situations.
"And while they won't be looking for any recognition, it's important that we applaud and celebrate their efforts to change the lives of others, so please get nominating now."
Nominations can be submitted online until 4pm on 14 November at www.robertburnsaward.com.
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in January 2016, to coincide with the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.
