Women Wage Peace & Women of the Sun are the Renew Europe Group’s candidate for Sakharov Prize 2024

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament today designated its candidate for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2024 by proposing Women Wage Peace & Women of the Sun, two feminist, pacifist, non-partisan movements that strive to bring Israeli and Palestinian women together to spread a call for peace and a strong message of hope.

Dr. Yael Admi and Reem Hajajra are the faces of these two movements advocating for peace and building bridges between people, regardless of borders or differences.

President of Renew Europe, Valérie Hayer, said:

“Renew Europe's choice to nominate these two organisations is a powerful marker of our commitment to building a peaceful solution in the region. The commitment of the two movements and members such as Dr Yael Admi and Dr Reem Hajajra to ending the conflict is eminently courageous and deserves admiration.”

Renew Europe MEPs, Sophie Wilmès and Hilde Vautmans, who advocated for the nomination of the two movements, added:

MEP Sophie Wilmès:

“Through this candidacy, we honour women who show strength and tremendous courage every single day, advocating for peace, building bridges between people, and supporting women to claim their rightful place in society and conflict resolution. Despite their grief and all obstacles, they continue to stand side by side. I am proud that Renew is endorsing this candidacy whose work is aligned to our values.”

MEP Hilde Vautmans:

“More than ever, we need peace in the Middle East. Both organisations, guided by two courageous mothers and feminists, have been striving for exactly that, across borders, across backgrounds, fuelled by love and passion, and in the interest of future generations. They clearly should be the laureates of the Sakharov Prize 2024.”

Note to editors:

Women Wage Peace was founded in Israel as a feminist peace movement following the Gaza War in 2014. The movement unifies women from different communities and backgrounds, empower them and promote a non-violent resolution of the conflict. After three members of Women Wage Peace, including co-founder Vivian Silver, were killed during the October 7 massacre, their calls for peace have only grown louder.

Women of the Sun was founded in 2021 as a women’s movement to spread cultural and national awareness and help women to find their place on the political scene in Palestine. Its members hail from different parts of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

Next steps:

- Presentation of nominees in a joint meeting of the AFET/ DEVE/ DROI Committees in Brussels, on 26 September 2024;

- Vote on three finalists in a joint meeting of the AFET/ DEVE Committees in Brussels, on 17 October 2024;

- Decision of the Conference of Presidents on the final Laureate(s), on 24 October 2024;

- Prize award ceremony during plenary in Strasbourg, on 18 December 2024, at 12.00.