Dr. Sima Samar was selected as John Humphrey Freedom Award recipient for her efforts to strengthen the human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and in refugee camps on the Northern border of Pakistan. It was presented in Montreal on Monday, December 10, 2001, International Human Rights Day.

Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize for Literature in December 2001. The announcement of the award in October was received with mixed reactions – bordering almost on an East-West divide. The accolades have almost invariably come from the West, while the East has been more critical of his writing. Naipaul is one of the controversial writers of our times. His critics allege that his books on India and the Islamic World reflect insufficient understanding of the region, its people, and its spirit. He has been accused of cultural insensitivity. To others, his perceptions and what he observes seem objective, relevant and astute.