APA International Humanitarian Award

The American Psychological Association (APA) is seeking nominations for the 2027 International Humanitarian Award.

This award recognizes extraordinary humanitarian service and activism by a psychologist or a team of psychologists, including professional and/or volunteer work conducted primarily in psychology or a closely related field (e.g., social work, mental health, public policy) in any country by a psychologist or a team of psychologists working in collaboration with local, national, and international organizations that provide mental health and/or psycho-social and/or humanitarian services.

"Humanitarian services" are defined as activities initiated by psychologists, working alone or in association with others, to help alleviate severe stress and restore mental health and well-being to a group of people in a variety of difficult circumstances, including but not limited to the following:

• survivors of natural disaster or person-induced crisis, such as a civil war or a forced migration

• a community of any size in which long-term political, economic, social and/or other circumstances have caused severe stress and psychological problems for a substantial portion of that community

In the context of this award, an international humanitarian is a psychologist or team that includes a psychologist who engages in humanitarian work anywhere in the world. This work must include a global component, meaning either (1) a U.S.-based psychologist who is nominated for work conducted outside the United States, or (2) a non-U.S.-based psychologist who is nominated for work conducted anywhere in the world, including the United States. Nominees need not be APA members or affiliate members of the association.

Nominations should be submitted in English and should provide ample and clear documentation to substantiate services that have improved the lives and contributed to the well being of people in either large or small geographic areas anywhere in the world.

Documentation should include, but is not limited to, descriptions of the following:

• demonstrated skills, knowledge, dedication, and persistence brought to bear on work within specific communities

• specific actions, taken to improve conditions

• actions taken in ways that facilitate the transition from humanitarian relief to recovery and support long-term development

• actions taken to strengthen preparedness for the occurrence of future crises

• specific description of the global component of the work

• any difficult conditions constituting severe threats to the safety, security, stability, welfare, or development of communities, including, if applicable, personal risk to the nominee

• the social and political activism displayed in rebuilding or transforming communities, and/or fostering the empowerment of community members to act on their own behalf

Nominations will be screened by the APA Committee for Global Psychology, which will make recommendations to the APA Board of Directors for their designation of the awardee. Relevant information not included in nomination materials, as well as outside, objective content experts, may be utilized as deemed necessary.

Applications must include:

• cover letter of nomination

• 500-word narrative describing the nominee's extraordinary humanitarian services and activism, including specification of the time frames when this occurred

• current curriculum vitae

• three letters of recommendation concerning the nominee's humanitarian service

• any other supporting documents deemed essential to a full presentation of the applicant's work and contributions

Nomination materials should generally be submitted in English. If this poses a challenge, please contact Gabriel Twose, who will work with you to find a solution.

Please send supporting documents as email attachments in MS Word or PDF format. Each file must be labeled with the nominee's name and document type (e.g., Smith-vita). Please put "Humanitarian Award" in the email subject line. Nominations should be sent to Gabriel Twose.

2026

• Valentyna Petrenko, MA

2025

• Marisol Yáñez de la Cruz, PhD

2024

• Jafar Ahmadi, PhD and Zeinab Musavi, MA

2023

• Garth Neufeld, MA

2022

• Lucy Wairimu Mukuria, MA

2021

• Bhava Nath Poudyal, MA

2020

• Niels Peter Rygaard, PhD

2019

• Gargi Roysircar, PhD

2018

• Guerda M. Nicolas, PhD

2017

• Kathryn L. Norsworthy, PhD

2016

• Alan Poling, PhD

2015

• Sunil Bhatia, PhD

2014

• Malcolm MacLachlan, PhD

2013

• M. Brinton Lykes, PhD

2012

John Thoburn, PhD

2009

• Michael Wessells, PhD
  Award address: Do No Harm: Toward Contextually Appropriate Psychosocial Support in International Emergencies (PDF, 92KB)

2008

• Joseph Prewitt Diaz, PhD and Gundelina Velazco, PhD
  Award address: Integrating Psychosocial Programs in Multisector Responses to International Disasters (PDF, 140KB)

2007

• Gerard A. (Jerry) Jacobs, PhD
  Award address: The Development and Maturation of Humanitarian Psychology (PDF, 73KB)

2006

• Center for Victims of Torture—Guinea Inernational Mental Health Team

2005

• Eduardo Almeida, PhD

2004

• Chris E. Stout, PsyD

2002

• Elizabeth Lira. MA

2001

• Karen L. Hanscom, PhD

1998/1999

• Nila Kapor-Stanulovic, PhD