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Human Rights Center

In 2000, the University of Dayton established the Romero Human Rights Award. The award commemorates the ministry and martyrdom of the slain Salvadoran Archbishop and honors an individual or organization whose work has contributed significantly to the alleviation of human suffering and injustice. The award itself, a bronze statue of Saint Romero, is an original piece sculpted by Emily Trick '00 and Brother Gary Marcinowski, S.M., of the University of Dayton's Department of Visual Arts.
2023 Romero Award Series

Human Right to Housing

The 2023 Romero Human Rights Award ceremony and symposium is scheduled for March 24, 2023 - the anniversary of Saint Oscar Romero’s assassination. The theme for this year's Romero Award is the human right to housing, including the challenges of affordability and gentrification, eviction and displacement, homelessness and criminalization. The aim is to highlight innovative and sustainable solutions that shift housing systems and their relationship to land towards respect for human dignity, equity, and justice on the local, national, and global levels.

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Awardees

About the Award

Awardees

About the Award

Awardees

2021

Environmental Justice and Human Rights Defender: Aura Lolita Chávez Ixcaquic

2020 Events Recap
Awardees

2021

Environmental Justice and Human Rights Defender: Aura Lolita Chávez Ixcaquic

2020 Events Recap
Awardees

2019

Human Rights Defenders: David Morales from Cristosal, and Ovidio Mauricio Gonzalez and Wilfredo Medrano from Tutela Legal

2019 Events Recap
Awardees

2019

Human Rights Defenders: David Morales from Cristosal, and Ovidio Mauricio Gonzalez and Wilfredo Medrano from Tutela Legal

2019 Events Recap
Awardees

2017

The Pastoral Land Commission of the Brazilian National Bishops’ Conference

2017 Award Ceremony
Awardees

2017

The Pastoral Land Commission of the Brazilian National Bishops’ Conference

2017 Award Ceremony
Awardees

2015

Caritas International: Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga

2015 Award Ceremony
Awardees

2015

Caritas International: Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga

2015 Award Ceremony
Awardees

2010

Migration and Refugee Services, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Awardees

2010

Migration and Refugee Services, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Awardees

2007

Bernard Kouchner, MSF/Doctors Without Borders

Awardees

2007

Bernard Kouchner, MSF/Doctors Without Borders

Awardees

2005

Juan Guzmán Tapia, for his prosecution of Pinochet

Awardees

2005

Juan Guzmán Tapia, for his prosecution of Pinochet

Awardees

2004

Radhika Coomaraswamy, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women

Awardees

2004

Radhika Coomaraswamy, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women

Awardees

2001

Casa Alianza

Awardees

2001

Casa Alianza

Awardees

2000

Juan Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

Awardees

2000

Juan Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

Human Rights 04.19.21
Environmental justice award winner: 'We have the right to live in a territory that for us is sacred'

On April 20, Aura Lolita Chávez Ixcaquic, leader of the Council of Ki'che' Peoples, which helps preserve indigenous lands against corporate exploitation in Guatemala, will receive the University of Dayton Romero Human Rights Award. Learn more about Lolita and her work in this interview with the National Catholic Reporter, Earth Beat. 

Human Rights 01.27.21
Honoring Romero Award Winner Juan Guzmán Tapia, 1939-2021

We honor the life of Juan Guzmán Tapia, a fearless human rights advocate for justice in Chile, who was awarded the Romero Human Rights Award from the University of Dayton in 2005.

Sustainability 10.29.20
Environmental and climate justice the theme for 2021 Romero Human Rights Center Award; nominations sought

The University of Dayton Human Rights Center is inviting nominations until Nov. 27 for the 2021 recipient of the Romero Human Rights Award. A release from the center said the award, which was established in 2000, commemorates the ministry and martyrdom of the slain Salvadoran Archbishop Saint Oscar Romero. The award honors an individual or organization whose work has contributed significantly to the alleviation of human suffering and injustice. This year’s theme is environmental justice.

Human Rights 09.28.20
El Mozote: "Peace is the Product of Justice and Love"

The Human Rights Center highlights the importance of the work of its 2019 Romero Award winners and calls for accountability in the ground-breaking human rights case, El Mozote in El Salvador.

President 04.17.19
The Power of Sharing Our Stories

There is nothing more transformative than hearing people tell their stories in their own words. Listening, we realize our shared humanity.