UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights

The UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights, created in 1978 as the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education to mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, serves to honour the efforts of organizations or individuals that have made an exemplary contribution to the advancement of knowledge on human rights and building a universal culture of human rights. 
It was renamed on 5 May 2008 under the terms of a memorandum of understanding with Mayor of Bilbao Iñaki Azkuna whereby the municipality of Bilbao agreed to fund the prize for a period of three years. 
The prize winner and the other candidates selected for honourable mention are chosen by the UNESCO Director General from a short-list chosen by an international jury composed of six public figures representing the different regions of the world. 
Now awarded every second year, the prize is worth US$25,000 and is accompanied by a trophy created by Japanese artist Toshimi Ishii. Winners are announced on 10 December, United Nations Human Rights Day.