A special posthumous award went to the Brazilian diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations' special representative who was killed in Iraq in August 2003.

Other award recipients, including individuals and organizations, were:

- Dom Mauro Morelli, from Rio de Janeiro, for his work to eliminate poverty.

- The Malunga Group of African-descendant Women, for its work for the advancement of black women.

- The Steve Biko Benefactor Institute for organizing pre-university courses for Afro-descendants.

- The Rural Women's Movement in Santa Carina for its support of rural women.

Accepting the award on behalf of the March Eighth Women's House was Bernardete Aparecida Ferreira, the organization's president.

"This award is the acknowledgment of our work to defend the human rights of marginalized women and victims of violence -- our institution has helped about 3000 people a year," Mrs. Ferreira said.

The awards were founded by the Brazilian Baha'i community in 1994.

The jury which selected the award recipients this year included a representative of a major newspaper, Folha de Sao Paulo, as well as members of the National Movement of Human Rights, UNESCO and the Baha'i community.

The president of the jury was Brazilian writer Washington Araujo.

"The creation of this award put a spotlight on the efforts of the Baha'i Community to defend human rights, for world peace, the status of women and the preservation of the environment," said Mr. Araujo, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Brazil.