The Prince of Asturias Foundation
The Association for Peace in the Basque Country (Coordinadora Gesto por la Paz de Euskal Herria / Euskal Herriko Bakearen Aldeko Koordinakundea) is an independent, plural, unitary, civic, pacifist platform. This association came into being in 1986 as a channel of expression of people of the Basque Country and Navarre against violence and, in that respect, since its inception it is known for its silent gestures or demonstrations in many towns in the Basque Country and Navarre each time a death occurs which is caused by violence related to Euskal Herria.
The aim of the Association for Peace in the Basque Country is to unite the whole of society, regardless of ideology, against violence and in favour of respect for human life as a fundamental right and the basis of all other Human Rights. In addition, this pacifist organisation has put together a message on issues related to the problem of the Basque Country such as the victims, education for peace, human rights for prisoners and groups, the harmful influence of violence on politics, and so on.
The Association for Peace in the Basque Country comprises more than 150 groups who undertake their work on a local level. The governing body of the Association is the Standing Committee made up of twelve people who act as spokespersons for the group and share the tasks of leadership, management and coordination of the organisation’s activities.
To carry out its activities, the Association for Peace counts on financial support from a number of institutions, primarily the Basque Government, and voluntary contributions from hundreds of citizens (which respectively account for 30 and 70% of total income).
Apart from having achieved a major level of recognition in Basque society, the work of the Association for Peace has been distinguished on various occasions by the media, as well as by the Basque Parliament –which presented it as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990– and the Manuel Broseta Foundation –which granted it its Tolerance Prize in 1993. In 1998 it received the Westphalia Peace Prize, in 1999 the Tierno Galvan National Award for Solidarity and Human Values, in 2001 the Jesus Maria Pedrosa Award in defence of freedom and democratic values, and in 2006 the Distinguished Services Medal granted to the local Gesto por la Paz group of Zarautz, among other distinctions. The legitimacy achieved by the Association for Peace in its lifetime is based upon the rigorous and constant denunciation of violence, wherever it may come from, and in demonstrating its total independence from any political or social organism or condition which might distort or condition its message.
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