NZ activist wins Nobel rival prize

A New Zealand peace activist is one of three people who have won Right Livelihood Awards, also known as the "alternative Nobel".

The €50,000 ($100,000) prize will be presented to Tauranga-born Alyn Ware, 47, in Stockholm on December 4, six days before the Nobel Prizes are handed out.

It will recognise Mr Ware's "effective and creative advocacy" in peace education and campaigning against nuclear weapons.

Mr Ware said last night from New York he was honoured by the award.

"I'm very happy and I think it's a tribute to the wonderful people that I'm working with," he said.

Mr Ware is director of the Peace Foundation Wellington Office, global coordinator of the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament network and director of Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace.

Swedish-German philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull founded the awards in 1980 to recognize work he felt was ignored by the Nobel Prizes.

Congolese environmentalist Rene Ngongo and and Australian doctor Catherine Hamlin, who has worked in Ethiopia for 50 years were yesterday's other winners.

- NZPA