Award Ceremony 2021
On 6 October 2021, the Shimon Peres Prize was awarded for the fifth time in the presence of the Peres family. Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas presented the award to two outstanding Israeli-German cooperation projects, which were particularly dedicated to societal relevant issues in both countries:

InterCare & Awareness: A joint project between the Martin Buber Society of Fellows of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in collaboration with the Institute for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.

Negotiation Matters: A joint project between the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, the Shenkar College in Ramat Gan, the Goethe Institute e.V. in Munich and the University of the Arts in Berlin.

Despite the ongoing corona crisis, we were able, thanks to a strict hygiene protection concept, to welcome 200 guests to the official award ceremony in the “Rotes Rathaus”, the Berlin city hall. Dr. Klaus Lederer, the mayor of Berlin, gave a warm welcome to those attending. In her speech, Prof. Tsvia Walden, daughter of Shimon Peres, emphasized the importance of solidarity, inclusion and innovative collaboration during the pandemic. Dr. Alice Brauner, member of the jury, presented the two projects and underlined the fact that in this year, they have been outstandingly successful in keeping alive the legacy of Shimon Peres, who was dedicated to promoting societal cooperation at all times, and who repeatedly opted for the path of negotiation to resolve conflicts.

Dr. Tamara Or, Executive Director of the Future Forum, praised the important and pioneering work of the award winners, and reminded the audience that this commitment “forms the basis of what defines us and our democracy: namely the conviction that we all share the responsibility for shaping our societies.”

The KAYAN Project from Berlin provided musical entertainment with songs in Hebrew and Arabic.

Click here for the event program.