Activist Autumn Peltier of Wiikwemkoong selected as a finalist for International Children’s Peace Prize

Autumn Peltier of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory is a finalist for this year’s International Children’s Peace Prize.
According to the organizers, the KidsRights Foundation, Peltier, also known as ‘The Water Protector,’ has been advocating for clean water in Canada and beyond for many years.
The 18-year-old is one of three people who made a shortlist selected by a panel of experts from more than 175 nominees from 46 countries.
Autumn Peltier of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory is a finalist for this year’s International Children’s Peace Prize.
According to the organizers, the KidsRights Foundation, Peltier, also known as ‘The Water Protector,’ has been advocating for clean water in Canada and beyond for many years.
The 18-year-old is one of three people who made a shortlist selected by a panel of experts from more than 175 nominees from 46 countries.
It was noted that at the age of 12, Peltier attended Parliament where she talked to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and told him to take care of our children and protect the water.
In 2019, she was elected as chief water commissioner for the Aniishnabek Nation to advocate for clean water and ensure young people’s voices are heard.
The other two finalists are from Japan and India. Rena Kawasaki is a 16-year-old girl from Japan who is fighting for child participation. Shivansh Kulshrestha is a 16-year-old boy who is fighting for inclusive education.
The winner will be announced in a ceremony streamed live from The Hague. Tawakkol Karman, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate 2011, will declare the winner for this year.
The finalists were announced by Malala Yousafzai, the women’s rights activist who survived an assassination attempt in Pakistan when she was 15 for promoting education for girls.
She says this year’s nominees — Rena, Autumn and Shivansh — remind us of the power we all have to take notice and action on the most pressing issues of our time.
The winner will receive the Nkosi statuette along with a study and care grant for his or her education.
Half of the prize money will be used to support the winner’s cause, while the other half will be “invested by KidsRights in other projects of other young changemakers fighting for children’s rights.”The winner will receive 100,000 euros, or about $135,000, half of which will go to a project they support.
The prize will be awarded on November 14th.
For more information, visit: https://www.kidsrights.org/advocacy/international-childrens-peace-prize/