INDIAN CATHOLIC - NEWS SITE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE OF INDIA Former Czech President Václav Havel has been selected for this year’s prestigious Gandhi Peace Prize for upholding human rights and world peace.

The decision was taken by a five-member jury chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and including Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi, Chief Justice of India V.N. Khare, former President R. Venkataraman and former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral.

According to an official statement, former Czech President Havel has been chosen for the prestigeous award for "his outstanding contribution towards world peace and upholding human rights in the most difficult situations."

 Close on the heels of a Czech Miss World, we get the Czech Mr Humanity. Not quite the Nobel Peace Prize, but still.... You can find more about Havel on Wikipedia.