On May 19th 2026, Another Development Foundation participated at the Per Anger Prize Webinar on Enforced and Involutary Disappearances organized by Diakonia.
The Per Anger Prize is an international prize, established in 2004 by the Swedish Government to promote initiatives supporting human rights and democracy. The Government has commissioned the Living History Forum to manage the nominations, appoint a jury and organise all the various aspects of the prize.
This years prize was awared to Brito Fernando, the Founder and Chair of Families of the Disappeared (FoD), which represents more than 20,000 families across Sri Lanka. Since the late 1980s he has campaigned to establish what happened to those who vanished during periods of political violence and civil war in the country, and to secure accountability and justice.
For more information on Brito Fernando, see the attached link: https://www.levandehistoria.se/english/the-per-anger-prize/2026-brito-fernando
Brito Fernando was the first one who had the chance to talk after an introduction by the organizer and a speech by Irina Schoulgin-Nyoni, Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Important contributions were also made by Silviana Turner, Investigator at The Argentine Forensic Antropology Team (EAAF), Vivian Krsticevic, Executive Director of the Centre for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) and Ingy Abouloyoun, Senior Legal Advisor at IHL Centre – Middle East Unit.
There are several reasons why ADF participated at this webinar. First and foremost it was due to the interest of learning from dedicated professionals and activists on the subject that was discussed. Secondly it was to honor those who are doing this work on behalf of all of those who has suffered from the treatment by organizations and decision-makers. Impunity is not a moral option. Justice, accountability and transparency are. Thirdly, a team from ADF traveled to Sri Lanka in March 2018 and to the locations in which Brito Fernando is working. Our team then had the chance of meeting people who were affected by the violence and who fought for truth and justice in relation to involuntary dissapearances of their families and friends.
At that time we also explored opportunities for extended collaboration, but were unable to do that due to the outbreak of the Coronapandemic and other challenges that occured after our visit to Sri Lanka.
ADF appreciated the participation in this important webinar. The quality was increadible and the committment impressive.