Presentation of the Chemnitz Peace Prize
On the eve of Chemnitz Peace Day, the 16th Chemnitz Peace Prize and an honorary prize were awarded today in the city council chamber in the town hall. Mayor Miko Runkel called on citizens to take a stand on Peace Day and take part in the numerous events. The award ceremony was accompanied by Jasmin Färber (vocals) and Jakob Kuhn on drums as well as their teacher, Uwe Schnalle, electric guitar.
The Peace Prize jury reviewed numerous proposals and selected the "Buntmacherinnen - Lichterwege" campaign from the nominees in third place. The members of the initiative wanted to let Chemnitz shine in a brighter light than the events in Chemnitz at the end of August by means of light trails from the Jewish community to the Park of the Victims of Fascism with various stations. The prize is endowed with 200 euros.
In second place, the jury selected the association Nachhall e.V. for its exemplary work on the Sonnenberg against the appropriation strategies of right-wing extremist activists and for people from different social classes and backgrounds. The organisation received 300 euros.
Human Aid Collective e.V. was awarded first place this year. The association, founded in November 2015, has so far transported more than 41 tonnes of medical equipment, aids and baby food to camps and crisis areas, as well as more than 5,000 Love Boxes with children's clothing, toys and learning materials for refugee children. The organisation received 500 euros and a sculpture by sculptor Erik Neukirchner.
An honorary prize was awarded to Iris Tätzel-Machute . She ran the Lila Villa women's centre for many years and has been advising bi-national couples for years and is responsible for the stage programme at the annual opening of the Intercultural Days in Chemnitz. Iris Tätzel-Machute is committed far beyond her social work to a curious coexistence of different cultures and is a tireless advocate of tolerance and respect in Chemnitz. The winner of the honour will also receive a sculpture by the sculptor Erik Neukirchner.
The Peace Prize is awarded by the citizens' association FUER CHEMNITZ e. V. and the City of Chemnitz's migration officer, Etelka Kobuß. Eins energie in sachsen GmbH, the Lions Club Chemnitz and the company Klimek & Rudolph are supporting the project this year.