OPCW–The Hague Award

[2] As an essential partner in both establishing and maintaining the Award, the commemorative medal features an engraving of the OPCW headquarters building with the official coat of arms of the City of The Hague au verso.

Dr Robert Mathews previously lead the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Arms Control Unit in the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), which he founded in 1974.

[5][6] Through his work Dr Mathews has contributed greatly to the OPCW since its formation in 1997, and has provided invaluable expertise in both the disarmament of chemical weapons, and the advancement of innovative protective counter-measures against their use.

Dr Mahdi Balali-Mood, a leading authority in medical toxicology, was presented with The OPCW–The Hague Award due to his outstanding work in treating the victims of chemical weapon use; most prominently during the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War.

His wealth of experience in the field lead to the establishment of his own clinic in the aftermath of the war to provide care for victims affected by the long term consequences of surviving exposure to chemical weapons.