The 31st North-South Prize of the Council of Europe took place at Assembleia da República (Portuguese Parliament, Lisbon), on 19 May at noon (1pm CET).

The Jury of the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe* awarded the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe to Mr Bragi Guðbrandsson and Mr Rami Abou Jamous for their commitment to the defence and promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law as well as to the development of intercultural dialogue and the reinforcement of the North-South partnership and solidarity, in conformity with the principles and priorities of the Council of Europe.

The ceremony was streamed live in English, French and Arabic on Council of Europe websites. 

The award was presented at Assembleia da República by His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic, António José Seguro, in a ceremony presided by His Excellency the President of the Assembleia da República, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco.

Bragi Guðbrandsson, Icelandic expert in children’s rights, highlighted the importance of child-centred justice systems in his speech. He stated:

"The term “Barnahus” literally means “House for Children”. The idea was simple but transformative: to place the child victim at the centre of a coordinated, multidisciplinary and child-friendly response under one roof.
(...)
The Lanzarote Convention marked a key milestone for child-friendly justice. The Lanzarote Committee and the Council of Europe were pivotal in advancing Barnahus and similar structures across Europe."

Palestinian journalist Rami Abou Jamous addressed the audience online, provided context on the situation in Gaza, and reflected on the role of journalism in preserving human dignity. He declared:

"Being with you, in the House of Democracy, would have had profoundly symbolic significance. This place represents the meeting between history and the present — between the memory of struggles for freedom and today’s fights for human dignity.
(...)
To inform is to resist erasure.
To film is to preserve memory.
To bear witness is to defend human dignity"

The ceremony also featured remarks from several representatives of the Council of Europe. 

The Vice-President of the Executive Committee of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and Consul General of the Kingdom of Morocco in Strasbourg, Lalla Soumia Bouhamidi, underlined the importance of collective action and international cooperation, stating that:

"No major challenge can be met in isolation. Whether it is preventing armed conflicts and preserving peace, protecting civilians, especially children, or combating disinformation, we need multilateralism grounded in international law."

The Director of Programme Co-ordination of the Council of Europe, Mr Claus Neukirch, emphasised the common values embodied by the laureates:

"Although their work differs greatly in form, today’s laureates share a common conviction: that human dignity must be protected through concrete action, through professional integrity, and through institutions capable of upholding rights in practice. This is also the mission that guides the Council of Europe."

The Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr Antonio Gutiérrez Limones, also stressed the role of democratic institutions and civil society in building a fairer society:

"As much as it is true that the objective of building a more equal and just society cannot be realised without the full involvement of civil society, it is equally true that national parliaments are well placed to reach this goal."

As laureate Rami Abou Jamous participated online, his prize was accepted on his behalf by Ms Sarra Grira, Editor-in-Chief of Orient XXI.

This year’s edition was particularly significant as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of Portugal’s accession to the Council of Europe.

Some pictures of the ceremony are available on the North-South centre of the Council of Europe social media X and Facebook.

Organised back-to-back with the award ceremony of the 31st edition of the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe, the North-South Dialogues 2026: "Reporting from the Frontlines: The safety of journalists in conflict and crisis zones" and "Barnahus as a concrete implementation of the Lanzarote Convention and child-friendly justice standards"  was inspired by the work of this edition’s laureates.

*The Jury is presided by the President of the North-South Centre Executive Committee and is made up of members of the Bureau and a representative of the North-South Centre‘s host country, if the country’s representative is not a Bureau member.