The 2013 Pax Christi International Peace Award has been granted to the International Memorial Society for its outstanding work in keeping alive the memory of the victims of political repression in Russia’s recent history and for its deep commitment to human rights in the country. The Award has been graciously funded by the Cardinal Bernardus Alfrink Peace Fund since 1988 and it honours contemporary individuals and organisations who make a stand for peace, justice and non-violence in different parts of the world. The award ceremony took place in Leuven, Belgium, on 14 November 2013.
Since its inception in the late 1980s the International Memorial Society has been committed to preserving the historical truth about the crimes of totalitarianism and the resistance to it, to perpetuating the memory of the victims, and to offering social support to the survivors. By doing this International Memorial helps support transitional justice efforts and reconciliation processes, as well as the construction of a re-imagined political community, paving the way for future generations and the prevention of future violence.