Nominations may include issues of human rights— universal rights that should apply to everyone, but nominations must focus on the theme of peace. The Dayton Literary Peace Prize is designated for works that characterize peace as: ending or seeking to end conflict—personal, national or international; establishing concord between and among people; or showing the consequences of persons, nations or institutions recklessly disrupting personal harmony or universal accord.

Award Criteria for both fiction and nonfiction:

• Nominated works must focus on a central message of peace, broadly defined as increasing harmony and understanding between and among people. Peace may be addressed as it applies to families, communities, nations, ethnic groups, cultures and religions.

• Nominated works must have significant and enduring literary value.

• Nominated works must appeal to a variety of audiences.

• Nominated works for the upcoming award season must have a copyright date of January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008.