Adamowicz Award 2022
The 2022 Adamowicz Award was launched on 9 June at the General Assembly of ICORN (International Cities of Refuge Network) in Gdansk. You may watch the recording of the ICORN General Assembly here.
To nominate the next winner of the award, please fill this
online nomination form by 31 October 2022. The deadline has been extended until 14 November.
If you are representing:
a member-city of ICORN
a group of 15 COR members
any city or regional council (its formal decision)
an international organisation (its formal decision)
You may nominate an individual or an organisation that you consider worthy of this award for the promotion of freedom, solidarity, integration and peace. Read here the
nomination criteria.
Adamowicz Award 2021 Laureate
photo © Jens Koch
Henriette Reker, the Lord Mayor of Cologne
The Award Partners, the European Committee of the Regions, the International Cities of Refuge Network and the City of Gdańsk, are delighted to announce that the first Laureate of the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award is
Henriette Reker, the
Lord Mayor of Cologne in Germany.
The Award Jury conferred the honour on Ms Reker in recognition of her extraordinary dedication and work in her city in promoting tolerance, inclusiveness, and the integration and non-discrimination of citizens with migrant backgrounds, whilst fighting hate-speech and xenophobia. Amongst the many personal and professional challenges she has faced in carrying out this work, she survived a near-fatal xenophobia-motivated knife attack in October 2015.
Ms Reker was officially presented with her Award during the
Plenary Session of the European Committee of the Regions on the 27th of January 2022 at 12 noon (CET). Watch here the
award ceremony.
View the
video message from Ms Henriette Reker.
The Award Partners would like to congratulate all of the other individuals and organisations that were nominated for the 2021 edition of the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award, and also thank those who took the time and effort to nominate them.
Read the joint press release.
Background
Mayor Paweł Adamowicz focused his activities on fostering solidarity, the integration of migrants and minorities, dialogue with civil society, and the promotion of fundamental rights on the ground. He was first elected as Mayor of Gdańsk in 1998, and served the city in that position until his assassination on 13 January 2019.
The establishment of this Award is an homage to and recognition of everyone who works with courage and integrity against intolerance, radicalisation, hate-speech, oppression and xenophobia. Those who promote equal opportunities, social integration and fundamental rights. Those who are inspired by and carry on the legacy of Paweł Adamowicz.
It honours those around the world who build bridges and tear down walls, with a clear sense of responsibility for future generations – people who pave the way for societal changes in favour of the weakest, not shying away from any urgent battle for human rights and civil liberties, locally, nationally or internationally.
The Award presents Mayor Paweł Adamowicz's legacy to a wider audience, with the aim of inspiring local and regional politicians throughout Europe and beyond to build upon the work he started.
More about the life and work of Paweł Adamowicz.