Chemnitz Peace Prize awarded
Citizens' association FUER CHEMNITZ e. V. selects this year's award winners
Today, the Citizens' Association FUER CHEMNITZ e. V., in cooperation with the City of Chemnitz's Migration Officer, Etelka Kobuß, presented the Chemnitz Peace Prize for the 20th time in the City Council Chamber of Chemnitz Town Hall.
The Chemnitz Peace Prize is a civil society prize, by citizens for citizens. The prize is awarded to individuals, organisations, projects and initiatives from Chemnitz that stand up for basic values such as tolerance and democracy, consider the integration of different cultures to be an essential part of our coexistence, take a stand against all forms of exclusion, xenophobia and racism, actively work for peace and promote and support non-violent coexistence.
This year, the award ceremony was once again held shortly before 5 March, Chemnitz Peace Day. On the anniversary of the bombing of Chemnitz in 1945, the aim is to think peace forward across generations.
The award winners
Following project visits and personal discussions with the nominees, a diverse jury selected the following award winners from the numerous projects, individuals and initiatives put forward:
1st prize
This year's first prize was awarded to Seniorpartner in School / Chemnitz regional group.
"When children are empowered to resolve a conflict and not defeat the other, the foundation for peace is laid." With this in mind, senior citizens from Chemnitz volunteer their time to support primary school pupils in resolving conflicts without violence. The aim is to mediate in the event of a conflict. The children are helped to name the issue of the conflict and their own view of it. They also learn to understand and respect the other person's point of view. The aim is to find a solution independently and together. In this way, the experienced volunteers teach very young people the basics of peaceful and democratic coexistence.
For this commitment, the 23 active members of the Chemnitz regional group of Senior Partners in School were honoured with the first prize of the Chemnitz Peace Prize 2023, along with prize money of 500 euros and the Peace Prize sculpture by sculptor Erik Neukirchner.
2nd prize
The second prize went to Ella and Vladimir Shvemmer.
The couple came to Germany from the Urals in 2004 and have lived in Chemnitz since 2017. Ella Shvemmer was a head teacher, her husband Vladimir Shvemmer completed his doctorate in didactics of photography in 1979. He was dean and vice-rector at the State Pedagogical University in Chelyabinsk.
They have made it their life's work to support those who live here as foreigners. They know exactly what refugees need when they arrive in another country: Networking in society; support with everyday things, prospects for the future; opportunities to live their own culture and religion. Ella and Vladimir Shvemmer organise interfaith cooking together, dedicate themselves to the problems of refugees on a private helpline, give traumatised children and young people the chance to process their experiences artistically in art therapy sessions and enable the "Fotofreunde Chemnitz 2020" to show stories of life and flight in photographic motifs.
They take action wherever they are needed. Ella and Vladimir Shvemmer received the second prize and the corresponding sum of 300 euros for this extraordinary commitment.
3rd prize
The third prize was awarded to Medibüro Chemnitz e. V.
General health insurance has been compulsory in Germany since 2009. And yet there are still people without health insurance. If they cannot pay for treatment themselves, they are denied medical care. There are people all over Germany who want to change this. Since 2019 also in Chemnitz. The Medibüro Chemnitz e. V. association, with around 15 members, provides counselling to those affected via a permanent telephone helpline. They are building a network of doctors and therapists to provide help in medical emergencies. The volunteers look for ways to obtain insurance cover for each case, provide advice and help to overcome bureaucratic hurdles or make outstanding insurance premiums affordable.
But they don't stop there. Together with national partners, they are fighting for an "anonymous treatment voucher" for uninsured people. "Our biggest goal," they say, "is for us to become superfluous as a medical centre."
The organisation was awarded third prize, worth 200 euros, for its support of people in health emergencies and its commitment to a fair health insurance system.
Children and youth prize
Class 7 of the Annen-Oberschule Chemnitz were honoured with the Children and Youth Prize.
Can you paint the future? What will it bring? When pupils at Annen-Oberschule Chemnitz see the pictures of children of the same age from Nicaragua, Brazil, Albania or various war zones, the desire for peace and security takes centre stage. The children from Chemnitz authentically put their wishes for the future on paper and turned them into wonderful pictures.
For their creative wishes for peace, the pupils in Year 7 will be honoured with the Children's and Youth Prize of the Chemnitz Peace Prize 2023.
The award ceremony
Mayor Dagmar Ruscheinsky opened the festive award ceremony with a greeting from the city. In his welcome address, jury spokesperson Egmont Elschner remembered Siegfried Bauer, a long-standing jury member who passed away a few weeks ago. Nancy Gibson was thanked for her many years of commitment on the jury and in organising the awards.
The laudatory speeches were given by Julia Bombien for the children's and youth prize, Sabine Kühnrich for the third prize and Dorothee Lücke for the second prize. The laudatory speech for the first prize was held by Ronald Langhoff. Lina Motsiuk and Henrik Lehmann from the Chemnitz Municipal Music School provided the musical accompaniment to the ceremony. Afterwards there was a small reception.
If you have any questions, please contact
Egmont Elschner
Spokesman of the Chemnitz Peace Prize jury
Telephone: 0172 3711363
E-mail: elschner(at)hanka-kliese.de
Sabine Kühnrich
Bürgerverein FUER CHEMNITZ e.V. and member of the jury
Phone: 0177 2231335
E-mail: sabine.kuehnrich(at)gmx.de
Etelka Kobuß
Migration Officer of the City of Chemnitz and member of the jury
Phone: 0371 488-5047