Former B.C. premier and federal health minister Ujjal Dosanjh is the first winner of a new award that recognizes the contributions of people who improve society at personal risk.

Dosanjh will receive the inaugural Wallenberg-Sugihara Civil Courage Award on January 18 in the Wosk Auditorium at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.

The Wallenberg-Sugihara Civil Courage Society, which was established by members of the Swedish and Jewish communities, created the award.

"The award will be presented to the Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh for his actions as a critic of sectarian violence and his advocacy for social justice, often at great risk to his personal safety," reads a news release from the society. "He spoke out against terrorism within the Sikh Community. For his stand Mr. Dosanjh was attacked with an iron bar and almost killed. He recovered and went on to become attorney general, the first Indo-Canadian Provincial Premier and subsequently, the federal Minister of Health. As a critic of extremism and champion of liberal democracy he has been a great benefit to Canada and an inspiration to us all."

Both the society and the award are named after Raoul Wallenberg and Chiune Sugihara, who are credited with saving the lives of thousands of Jewish people during the Second World War.

The 10th annual Wallenberg Day event on January 18 starts at 1:30 p.m. and will feature a screening of The Rescuers, a documentary film that tells the stories of diplomats who saved lives during the war.