Legendary folk singer Joan Baez and world-renowned artist Ai Weiwei – both committed activists – are the joint recipients of Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2015.

Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award is the organization’s top honour, recognizing those who have shown exceptional leadership in the fight for human rights, through their life and work. The Award was presented to Joan Baez and Ai Wei Wei at a ceremony in Berlin on 21 May 2015, with speakers including singer-songwriter Patti Smith. Academy Award winning Glen Hansard; soul and blues singer, Jo Harman; and award-winning and bestselling concert pianist Gabriela Montero have performed.
“The Ambassador of Conscience Award is a celebration of those unique individuals who have used their talents to inspire many, many others to take injustice personally. That is why both Joan Baez and Ai Weiwei make such worthy recipients; they are an inspiration to thousands more human rights activists, from across Asia to America and beyond,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

THE SPEAKERS

THE PERFORMING ARTISTS

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADOR OF CONSCIENCE AWARD

Ambassador of Conscience Award recognizes remarkable individuals and groups who have promoted and enhanced the cause of human rights by acting on their conscience, confronting injustice and using their talents to inspire others. Its remarkable alumni include committed activists, musicians, artists and public figures who have inspired millions of people to join them in defending the human rights of people all over the world.

It was conceived in 2003, inspired by the poem “From the Republic of Conscience”, written for Amnesty International by the late Nobel Laureate, Seamus Heaney.

“…He therefore desired me when I got home 
to consider myself a representative 
and to speak on their behalf in my own tongue. 
Their embassies, he said, were everywhere 
but operated independently 
and no ambassador would ever be relieved.”

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