Celebrated global music artist and activist Alicia Keys and the inspirational movement of Indigenous Peoples fighting for their rights in Canada have been honoured with the 2017 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award at an evening ceremony in Montreal, Canada.

The award is the organization’s highest honour for human rights work. This is the first time the award was given to a Canadian recipient. “Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience awardees this year stand in the tradition of past winners such as Vaclav Havel and Malala Yousafzai – people who have shown exceptional leadership and courage in championing human rights, often in the face of great difficulty,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.