The President of the Basque Country presented the 2024 Ignacio Ellacuría Award to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

• The jury has recognised UNRWA for its commitment, long-standing track record, and essential dedication to the Palestinian people over the past 75 years, amidst a context of ongoing conflict.
• The President of the Basque Government reminded everyone that "now more than ever, from the Basque Country, we defend peace, democracy, human rights and life as a supreme and inalienable value.”

This lunchtime, President of the Basque Government Imanol Pradales presented the 2024 Ignacio Ellacuría Development Cooperation Award to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) The award was collected by Oroba Al-Mousa, UNRWA Chief of Education Programme, Jordan, with whom the Basque Government has an agreement to transform the vocational training offered to the Palestinian refugee population. The candidacy was proposed by the development NGO UNRWA Euskadi.

Pradales was accompanied by the Basque Minister for Education, Begoña Pedrosa, and the new director of eLankidetza-Basque Agency for Cooperation and Solidarity, Javier Cortés.

During the award ceremony, the significance of UNRWA's work was highlighted, underscoring its alignment with the principles of justice and solidarity championed by Ignacio Ellacuría. In this regard, the President congratulated UNRWA and acknowledged the agency's work and values.

In his speech, President Imanol Pradales expressed his concern about the direction of international events and condemned the dehumanisation of conflict victims. "The world seems to be taking a worrying turn," he stressed. The President reminded everyone that "now more than ever, from the Basque Country, we defend peace, democracy, human rights and life as a supreme and inalienable value. This is precisely what UNRWA has been doing since 1949: safeguarding the dignity and integrity of millions of people by providing them with shelter, healthcare, education and essential services.”

In the words of the Pradales, "We will continue to collaborate, alongside UNRWA, Palestinian society, citizens and other governments. In these troubled times, we believe in cooperation and solidarity."

In its ruling, the jury sought to highlight the organisation’s dedication, track record and crucial commitment over 75 years to the Palestinian people in a context of ongoing conflict. It also emphasised the humanitarian aspect of the organisation's direct work in support of justice and human rights for the Palestinian population.

The jury concluded that UNRWA deserves to receive the 2024 Ignacio Ellacuría Prize due to the real risk of the UNRWA's disappearance, which would strip the Palestinian population of their right to refuge and their right to return to their lands and homes. The jury also alluded to the criminalisation UNRWA has faced in its work.

Supporting the Palestinian Refugee Population

UNRWA was established under the mandate of the United Nations General Assembly in 1949 to implement aid and assistance programmes for Palestinian refugees. Originally conceived as a temporary solution, UNRWA continues its work after 75 years, providing services for the welfare, human development and protection of the Palestinian refugee population, which now represents over a fifth of the world's refugees, totalling around 6 million people. 

UNRWA currently operates in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the occupied Palestinian territories—Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. UNRWA directly provides essential services in education, healthcare, social services, microcredit, infrastructure and camp improvements, protection of refugee rights, and humanitarian and emergency assistance. Furthermore, UNRWA employs 33,000 workers, 99% of whom are Palestinian.

Fundamental Pilar of Humanitarian Aid

This candidacy comes at a crucial moment for UNRWA. The offensive in Gaza represents a turning point in a protracted crisis. More than 42,000 people have been killed, including 12,000 children, and over 99,000 have been injured. This figure includes 986 healthcare workers, 168 journalists, and 235 individuals affiliated with the United Nations, the majority of whom are from UNRWA.

In total, it is estimated that UNRWA is responsible for 60% of all humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. In recent months, with financial support from the Basque public sector, UNRWA has distributed flour and water and provided healthcare services, among other essential aid.

Solidarity with Palestine

The Ignacio Ellacuría Prize reflects the support that UNRWA has received from Basque public sector, including the Basque Parliament, NGOs and social movements. Since 2006, UNRWA Euskadi has been collaborating with other Basque organisations to raise awareness about the situation of the Palestinian refugee population and to continue funding humanitarian, emergency and development projects.

In recent years, UNRWA has received funding from the Basque Government, primarily through eLankidetza, to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, empower Palestinian women refugees in Lebanon, meet the basic needs of the refugee population in Syria, and carry out awareness-raising initiatives in the Basque Country. Furthermore, eLankidetza and the Basque Deputy Directorate for Vocational Training are collaborating with the United Nations Agency on a joint initiative to strengthen its Vocational Training Programme in Jordan.

Cooperation and Solidarity Award

The Ignacio Ellacuría Prize is named after the Basque philosopher and theologian who was murdered by the military in El Salvador in 1989. The prize is awarded to organisations, groups or individuals from the Basque Country or elsewhere, who carry out actions in support of equality, justice among peoples and the eradication of poverty worldwide. The prize is awarded by the Basque Government through eLankidetza, the Basque Agency for Cooperation and Solidarity.