11th Chemnitz Peace Prize awarded
The Interkulturelle Garten e.V. is the 2014 Peace Prize winner
On the occasion of the Chemnitz Peace Day 2014 on 5 March, the 11th Chemnitz Peace Prize was awarded in advance on Tuesday. The FUER CHEMNITZ citizens' association hosted the event in the city council chamber of Chemnitz town hall. Mayor Philipp Rochold spoke at the award ceremony. A cello quintet from the municipal music school played.
"Chemnitz has a rich diversity of people and groups who have been volunteering for a peaceful and tolerant Chemnitz for years," announced Hartwig Albiro, former theatre director and jury member.
To the 2014 award winners:
The Interkulturelle Garten e.V. was honoured with first prize. The initiative on the Kaßberg received the award for its place of encounter and exchange between people of different cultures and generations. The majority of the votes cast by the thirteen-member jury were in favour of the association. The Interkulturelle Garten e.V. is delighted to receive a prize of 300 euros and a sculpture by Chemnitz sculptor Erik Neukirchner.
The "Inclusion theatre project Standpunkte" by Chemnitzer Kunstfabrik was awarded second place. The jury's reasoning: "The project makes an active contribution to breaking down prejudices and promoting encounters between people from different backgrounds, as well as promoting a commitment to peaceful, tolerant coexistence. Second place is endowed with prize money totalling 200 euros.
Third place and prize money of 100 euros was awarded to the "Balcony Ballet Project" by the association Bürgerinitiative Chemnitzer City e.V. Christoph Magirius, honorary citizen of the city of Chemnitz, described the project in his laudatory speech as "a touch of paradise - discovering people next to you and shaping life with them".
Christina and Wolfgang Lehmann received this year's prize of honour . Both have been running a café on Markersdorfer Straße as a meeting place for more than 25 years. Exhibitions, readings, concerts and a variety of events take place in the Markersdorf/Morgenleite neighbourhood. At their own expense, the couple bring the Days of Jewish Culture as well as discussion groups to their neighbourhood and are exemplary for civic engagement. In addition to the prize of honour, Christina and Wolfgang Lehmann can also look forward to receiving a sculpture created by Chemnitz sculptor Erik Neukirchner.
The award ceremony was supported by the city of Chemnitz and the utility company eins energie in Sachsen.
Keyword Chemnitz Peace Prize
Projects, institutions, organisations and individuals who are committed to tolerance, peaceful coexistence and combating xenophobia were invited to apply for the Chemnitz Peace Prize. This year, nine potential award winners were shortlisted, from which the thirteen-member jury selected the winners.
A total of around 160 candidates were assessed and advised during the eleven years (2004 - 2014). Eleven first, second and third prizes each and seven special prizes for decades of achievement were awarded.