The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has announced the establishment of the Finney Freedom Prize on the fourth halving day of Bitcoin. This award aims to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to both Bitcoin and human rights, in line with the vision of Hal Finney to use technology as a tool for liberation.
The inaugural Finney Freedom Prize was awarded posthumously to Hal Finney, who was a key figure in the early days of Bitcoin. His widow, Fran Finney, accepted the award on his behalf and chose to donate the prize to charity. This gesture was made in the hopes of inspiring future generations to use Bitcoin as a means to achieve personal and collective freedom.
Hal Finney, who passed away in 2014, was known for his advocacy of civil liberties and his pioneering work in the development of Bitcoin. He was the first person, after Bitcoin’s creator Satoshi Nakamoto, to engage in transactions using the cryptocurrency.
The Finney Freedom Prize will be distributed every four years on future Bitcoin halving days, with a total of 28 awards planned over the next 110 years. Each laureate will receive a monetary prize of 1 Bitcoin (BTC) along with a physical award. Nominations and selections for future laureates will be managed by the Genesis Committee, which includes prominent members of the Bitcoin community.
The committee will evaluate candidates based on their educational efforts about Bitcoin, contributions to its technology, promotion of decentralization, and efforts to enhance accessibility to Bitcoin, especially in regions with oppressive regimes. The initiative is supported by a 33 BTC fund established by HRF, with 1 BTC allocated for each award in the remaining halving events.
