First held in 2000, the Silver Rose Awards is a yearly event organised by SOLIDAR in the European Parliament in cooperation with the S&D Group. It is an occasion to celebrate Civil Society Organisations and individuals whose extraordinary struggles contribute greatly to social justice and solidarity throughout the world.

The Awards represent also a moment for SOLIDAR members, partners and the whole Progressive family to come together. Since the first edition of the Silver Rose Awards, the world has changed significantly. We have witnessed a war on terror, displacement and conflict, a global financial crisis and a pandemic increasing inequality and access to universal social protection, and an ongoing climate emergency threatening the existence of our species and of the whole planet. These circumstances have impacted all our lives, although unevenly, as we see the majority of people struggle to live a decent life in the world today.  

However, there are always countermovements, resistance, and positive examples across the world. Activists, social workers, trade unionists, journalists, and political and community leaders who keep fighting for human rights, access to basic needs and the right to dignity for millions of people. Silver Rose Awards was created to showcase and support the invaluable work of these people, as examples for us as progressives to follow. Looking back, we are humbled by the individuals we have been able to meet, celebrate and endorse with this yearly award.

2021 Edition

This year’s award will be hosted under the umbrella of the Global Progressive Forum, a large mobilisation of progressive forces to set new priorities for the next decade. The Forum takes place on 17-18-19 November 2021, in hybrid format. The Silver Rose  Awards ceremony will be held on 18th November from 13:30 to 14:00 CET. View the full programme in the attachment section.

The 2021 Silver Rose Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Myrtle Witbooi, President of the International Domestic Workers Federation and Secretary General of South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union for her lifelong struggle for decent work and decent lives of household and domestic workers in South Africa and the world. 

Read the programme here!

Read the Board’s motivation in the document attached.