Awards and Honours
Once called “the most popular children’s singer in the English-speaking world” (Washington Post) and “Canada’s all-time children’s champion” (Toronto Star), Raffi is a recipient of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honour, and the United Nations’ Earth Achievement Award.
In 2018, First Call, the child and youth advocacy coalition, awarded him the Champion of Child & Youth Rights Award in recognition of his exemplary leadership and commitment in standing up for children, youth and families. He has received four honorary degrees: Dr. of Music from the University of Victoria, Dr. of Letters from the University of British Columbia, Dr. of Letters from Ontario’s Wilfrid Laurier University, and Dr. of Letters from Vancouver Island University.
Public Service
Salt Spring Forum – Advisor
Club of Budapest – Member
Aurora Institute – Advisor
Innovative research & public education about the role and structure of the corporation.
PEN Canada – Member, patron
Defending freedom of opinion, as guaranteed by Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Darwin Project Council – Member
Accelerating the shift in Western education and media from “old” survival-of-the-fittest Darwinian theory to the “new” Darwinian theory supported by science: caring, love, and moral evolution as primary drives in human emergence and evolution. David Loye, Founder
Center for Partnership Studies – Advisor
Partnership: commitment to a way of life based on harmony with nature, nonviolence, and gender, racial, and economic equity; based on groundbreaking research by the founders, Riane Eisler & David Loye.
Spiritual Alliance to Stop Intimate Violence – International Council Member
SAIV was founded by Riane Eisler with Nobel Peace Laureate Betty Williams, to stop intimate violence—the training ground for the violence of war, terrorism, political repression, and crime.
The Partnership for Children’s Health and the Environment – Signatory/supporter
North American coalition with over ninety members representing government, academic, medical and community-based organizations committed to protecting current and future generations from harmful environmental exposures.
Children’s Environmental Health Center – Advisor
First academic research and policy center (in U.S.) to examine the links between exposure to toxic pollutants and childhood illness; Department of Community and Preventive Medicine of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Collaborative for Health and the Environment – Partner
Nonpartisan partnership working to further knowledge, action and cooperation regarding environmental contributors to disease and other health problems.
Ryan’s Well Foundation – Honorary Patron
Promoting clean drinking water, working with partners in the public and private sector to address health needs in developing countries.
Generation Green – Advisor
Giving parents a voice in advocating for an environmental policy that protects children.
Canadian Pediatric Society– Honourary Member
Selected Awards
The Order of Canada, 1983
The Order of British Columbia, 2001
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012
Doctor of Letters (Hon.), Wilfrid Laurier University
Fred Rogers Integrity Award, 2006
British Columbia Hall of Fame, 2005
Doctor of Letters (Hon.), University of British Columbia, 2005
Doctor of Music (Hon.), University of Victoria, 2004
Early Childhood News, Directors’ Choice Award (The Singable Songs Collection), 1998
Global 500 Forum, U.N.E.P., 1994
Earth Communications Office, 1993
United Nations Environmental Achievement Award, 1992
Bowling Proprietors Association of America, 1989
Canadian Institute of the Arts for Young Audiences (AYA Award), 1988
Numerous Parent’s Choice and American Library Association Notable Recording Awards
Record Industry Awards
Western Canadian Music Awards, Children’s Recording of the Year (Dog on the Floor), 2019
Western Canadian Music Awards, Children’s Recording of the Year (Owl Singalong), 2017
Western Canadian Music Awards, Children’s Recording of the Year (Love Bug), 2015
SOCAN, Special Achievement Award for contribution to Canada’s Musical Heritage, 2000
Juno Award, Best Children’s Album (Bananaphone), 1994
National Association of Record Merchandisers (NARM) Best Seller Awards, 1986 and 1987
The Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), 1990
Recorded Industry Association of America (RIAA)
Platinum Award for Baby Beluga
Platinum Award for Singable Songs For the Very Young
Gold Award for One Light, One Sun
Gold Award for More Singable Songs
Gold Award for Raffi’s Christmas Album
Gold Award for Rise and Shine
Gold Award for Everything Grows
Notable Nominations
Juno Nomination, Best Children’s Album (Dog on the Floor), 2019
Juno Nomination, Best Children’s Album (Owl Singalong), 2017
Juno Nomination, Best Children’s Album (Love Bug), 2015
Juno Nomination, Best Children’s Album (Raffi Radio) , 1995
Grammy Nomination, Best Recording for Children (Bananaphone), 1994
Nominated for Environmental Media Award (Evergreen Everblue music video), 1991
Grammy Nomination, Best Recording for Children (Raffi In Concert With The Rise And Shine Band), 1988
Grammy Nomination, Best Recording for Children (Everything Grows), 1987
Video Awards
American Lung Association, Blue Sky Award (Evergreen Everblue), 1992
Gstrongini Award, Best Children’s Program or Series (Raffi In Concert With The Rise And Shine Band), 1990
Action for Children’s Television (ACT) Award for Excellence in Children’s Programming (Raffi In Concert With The Rise And Shine Band), 1989
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Certified Quintuple Platinum Awards
A Young Children’s Concert With Raffi video, 1990
Raffi In Concert With The Rise And Shine Band video, 1990
Book Awards
ABA-CBC Joint Committee/Children’s Books Mean Business (The Raffi Singable Songbook and Shake My Sillies Out)
American Bookseller/“Pick of the Lists” Award (Down By The Bay, The Raffi Singable Songbook, The Second Raffi Songbook, and Shake My Sillies Out)
Child Study Association/Books of the Year (The Raffi Singable Songbook, The Second Raffi Songbook, and Shake My Sillies Out)
International Reading Association, Children’s Book Council, “Children’s Choice” (Five Little Ducks)
Reading Rainbow Review Book (Shake My Sillies Out )
National Conference of Christians and Jews/The Human Family Understanding Other People (Shake My Sillies Out)
Book Of The Month Club (The Raffi Christmas Treasury and Raffi’s Top Ten Songs to Read)
