The People in Need Foundation (PINF), Czech nongovernmental organization working on the field of humanitarian aid and human rights defence in dozens of countries in the world, has decided to launch nomination campaign for Nobel Peace Prize 2003 for Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya Sardinas.

PINF has long been involved in supporting the Cuban dissident movement and independent journalists in the country, both on its own and in cooperation with several international organizations. Individuals that cooperate with PINF continue to distribute medicines and technical and financial support to dissidents, family members of imprisoned individuals and the visits. PINF coordinates direct support for the Cuban dissident movement by publishing articles and opinion essays in leading Czech dailies and weeklies, produced documentary film about Cuban political prisoners, and invited number of prominent Cubans striving to change the totalitarian regime. In 1999, the People in Need Foundation awarded Oswaldo Paya Sardinas, a Cuban dissident, its Homo Homini human rights award. Chairman of Czech Senate Foreign Relations Committee Mr. Michael Zantovsky presented the award to him in Cuba.

The aim of our recent campaign is to support the nomination of Mr. Oswaldo Paya Sardinas for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding credits in fighting for human rights in Cuba. Our aim is also to support the whole Varela Project and Cuban democratic movement and to raise awareness to the situation in Cuba. We are confident that potential for awarding Oswaldo Paya Sardinas exists /A lot will depend on performance of Varela activists and Cuban regime on the island, as well as on the background of Nobel Peace Prize 2002 laureate/. However we are sure that in any case Oswaldo Paya Sardinas will be among major candidates and international solidarity and support will help Cuban dissidents as well as spread of information about Cuban realities and Varela Project among politicians and journalists around the world.

I Phase/July-September 2002/:

/The following persons are entitled to nominate or support the nomination of candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize: Present and past members of the Nobel Committee and the advisers at the Nobel Institute; Members of national assemblies and governments, and members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; Members of the International Court of Arbitration and the International Court of Justice at The Hague; Members of the International Peace Bureau; Members of the Institut de Droit International; University professors of law, political science, history and philosophy; Holders of the Nobel Peace Prize./

PINF is circulating among NGOs, MPs and journalists information about Cuban dissident movement, Varela Project, documentary film Voices from the Island of Freedom and various other materials. PINF is encouraging NGOs and members of various Parliaments to approach above-mentioned persons for a Letter of Recommendation in their countries. Additionally PINF is advising to ask other personalities (representatives of NGOs, scholars, representatives of the Catholic Church) as well. On the contrary the collection of signatures from citizens is in our view not effective; therefore we do not recommend such action.

Starting from September PINF will operate www.cuba_project.org Internet page in Spanish and English, which will be focused on its Cuba related activities, specifically on Varela Project and Nobel Peace Prize Nomination.

PINF has so far received letters of support:

• Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech Republic
• Petr Pithart, Chairman, Senate of the Czech Republic
• Jan Carnogursky, Minister of Justice, Slovak Republic
• 150 Parliamentarians from Argentina, Chile Czech Republic, Mexico, Poland, El Salvador, Slovakia and Uruguay
• Vaclav Maly, Bishop of Prague

President Havel together with PINF has approached 15 former Nobel Peace Prize Laureates as well as other prominent politicians for support.

Information about the nomination campaign already appeared in various media for example in Czech Republic, Netherlands, Mexico, and USA.

In September PINF will publish promotion materials with signatures and excerpts from letters of nomination.

Phase II/October 2002 – January 2003/:

Based on received letters of support and signatures PINF will launch second wave of requests for support concentrated for example on Members of Parliaments of European countries as well as European Parliament itself.

PINF will start to work more closely with media around the world with the aim of spreading information about situation in Cuba, Varela Project and nomination process.

Letters of Recommendation should be sent to the People in Need Foundation office in Prague. The letters will be collected by the end of the year 2002 and submitted to the Norwegian Nobel Committee in January 2003.

Phase III/February – December 2003/:

PINF will work with partner NGOs from various countries on media support for Varela Project and Nobel Peace Prize nomination.

Phase IV/10 December 2003/:

The name of Oswaldo Paya Sardinas as a laureate of Nobel Peace Prize for 2003 will be announced in Oslo, Norway.