dpa German Press Agency
Published: Wednesday October 4, 2006
Oslo- The editor of a Turkish-Armenian magazine was Wednesday awarded the Norwegian Bjornson prize, worth 100,000 kroner (15,200 dollars), for highlighting massacres of the Armenian minority by Ottoman Turks in 1915. Agos’ editor Hrant Dink has frequently written on the subject that continues to generate controversy in Turkey today, and has had frequent run-ins with Turkish authorities.
Ankara has refused to accept blame for the massacres that many historians and several countries have said constituted a genocide.
The prize was to be handed out at a November 24 ceremony in the Norwegian west coast city Molde, the Norwegian news agency NTB reported.
The prize is awarded by the Bjornson Academy, established in 2003 to protect freedom of expression. Members include researchers from Norway and other countries as well as authors, journalists and politicians including two former Norwegian prime ministers, Kare Willoch and Kjell Magne Bondevik.
Academy president Knut Odegard said the November 24 seminar would focus on Armenians.
The prize was named after Norwegian poet, author and dramatist Bjornstjerne Bjornson (1832-1910).
Previous winners were Vivian Fouad and Samir Morcos from Egypt for their efforts to promote ties between Muslims and Christians, and Esma Redzepova from Macedonia who has championed the rights of the Roma people.
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