Rick Halperin, director of SMU’s Embrey Human Rights program, is being recognized by the Dallas Peace and Justice Center on Thursday, Dec. 3 at the Annual Peace and Justice Maker Awards Dinner. He will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work defending people’s rights to dignity and life by opposing torture and the death penalty.

Halperin is “a recognized international authority on the death penalty, genocide, slavery, human trafficking, torture and human rights,” according to the SMU website. He has also been involved with the boards of directors for organizations such as the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and the Center for Survivors of Torture and the International Rescue Committee.

The Annual Peace and Justice Maker Awards Dinner will be at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel on Central Expressway. Tickets to the dinner are $75 each and a sponsored table sells for $1,000. The event begins at 7 p.m. and will include dinner, live music, and auctions.