# Secularist of the Year

Secularist of the Year, also known as the Irwin Prize, is an award presented annually in the United Kingdom by the National Secular Society in "recognition of an individual or an organisation considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the secularist movement."
The award was established in 2005, and until 2017 it was sponsored by and named after humanist and secularist campaigner Dr. Michael Irwin. The prize consisted of a trophy, the "Golden Ammonite", and a cheque for £5000. The last time Secularist of the Year was awarded was in 2019.

## List of recipients

List of recipients of the Secularist of the Year :
| Year | Portrait | Name | Citation | Presenter | Ref. |
| 2005 | | Maryam Namazie | For "her work in defence of women's rights and the right to freedom of expression" | Polly Toynbee | |
| 2006 | | Steve Jones | For "his contribution to the promotion of secularism" | Dick Taverne | |
| 2007 | | Mina Ahadi | For "her life opposing the mistreatment of women by the Iranian clerical regime" | Joan Smith | |
| 2008 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 2009 | | Eric Lubbock | For "their work in the abolition of blasphemy law" | Richard Dawkins | |
| 2009 | | Evan Harris | For "their work in the abolition of blasphemy law" | Richard Dawkins | |
| 2010 | — | Southall Black Sisters | For "their support of black and Asian women's human rights" | Michael Irwin | |
| 2011 | | Sophie in 't Veld | For "her work as chair of the European Parliamentary Platform for Secularism in Politic" | A. C. Grayling | |
| 2012 | | Peter Tatchell | For "his lifelong commitment to the defence of human rights against religious fundamentalism" | Nick Cohen | |
| 2013 | — | Plan UK | "In honour of young human rights activist Malala Yousafzai, the prize was donated to Plan UK" for its campaign to ensure equal access to education for girls worldwide. | Michael Cashman | |
| 2014 | | Şafak Pavey | For "her international work promoting secularism, Human Rights and gender equality as well as humanitarian aid and peace-building" | Kerry McCarthy | |
| 2015 | | Charlie Hebdo | For "its courageous response to the terror attack on its Paris office and defence of secularism" | Martin Rowson | |
| 2016 | — | Educate Together | For "its work in challenging religious discrimination/privilege in Ireland's education system and setting out a positive vision for inclusive secular education" | Julia Hartley-Brewer | |
| 2017 | | Yasmin Rehman | For "her advocacy of a secularist approach to tackling hate crime, promoting social cohesion and the human rights of women, and challenging sectarianism and theocracy" | Yasmin Alibhai-Brown | |
| 2018 | — | Phil Johnson | For "their courageous campaigning work over many years to expose the institutional abuse of children and vulnerable adults in the Church of England" | Peter Tatchell | |
| 2018 | — | Graham Sawyer | For "their courageous campaigning work over many years to expose the institutional abuse of children and vulnerable adults in the Church of England" | Peter Tatchell | |
| 2019 | — | Saif ul-Malook | For "his courageous defense of Asia Bibi and other clients in Pakistan accused of blasphemy" | Geoffrey Robertson | |