UNG Press proudly celebrates James “Jim” Barnes, an acclaimed author and environmental advocate, whose leadership in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) has been internationally recognized with the 2025 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation awarded the €1 million prize to ASOC in recognition of its groundbreaking work to protect the Antarctic and Southern Ocean—regions that are vital to the Earth’s climate stability and biodiversity.
Held in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 9, the ceremony featured distinguished speakers, including Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the Prize Jury. In a deeply moving acceptance speech, Barnes reflected on ASOC’s formation and the personal journey that led him to this moment.
“In 1978, after learning about the 12 Antarctic Treaty countries’ plot to open the region to oil drilling and mining, a few colleagues around the world and I started ASOC as an international watchdog for Antarctica,” he shared. “Saving the Antarctic is the key to saving ourselves. We know what to do.”
ASOC remains the only environmental NGO with observer status in the Antarctic Treaty System. Under Barnes’s early leadership, the coalition helped shape key environmental policies, including the landmark 1991 Environmental Protocol banning mineral extraction. Its ongoing efforts to expand marine protections and advocate for science-based climate action reflect its continued global impact.
In addition to his environmental leadership, Barnes is the author of Cherokee History and the Spirit Family, published by UNG Press and recently awarded the Second Place Grand Prize in Nonfiction at the 2025 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. This work offers a sweeping yet deeply personal account of the Spirit family’s journey from 1826 to 1910, interweaving their lived experience with the broader history of Cherokee displacement, cultural survival, and resistance.
A descendant of the Spirit family, Barnes documents their forced removal along the Trail of Tears, their resilience during the Civil War, and their advocacy for sovereignty during the Allotment era. Through meticulous research and eloquent narrative, the book illuminates one of America’s darkest historical periods while celebrating the perseverance of the Cherokee Nation. Cherokee History and the Spirit Family is available at all major retailers.
Together, Barnes’s literary and environmental contributions represent the core mission of UNG Press: to publish works that inform, engage, and inspire. His recognition by both the Gulbenkian Foundation and the Indie Book Awards reflects not only individual excellence but also the impact of thoughtful, mission-driven publishing in shaping public understanding and global dialogue.
“This award is an immense honor,” Barnes said at the ceremony. “Your gift will help ensure that we continue the dialogue about how best to protect this jewel of the planet.”
To view the full Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity ceremony, visit: https://gulbenkian.pt/en/agenda/gulbenkian-prize-for-humanity-award-ceremony.
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