On June 21, the Human Rights Watch organisation will be honoured with the ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) Theodor Wanner Award in Berlin. The Klett educational company is donating the prize money.
With the presentation of the Theodor Wanner Award, which is conferred by the ifa, Human Rights Watch will be honoured for its commitment to the global protection of human rights. The organisation will donate the prize money to “The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack”, a project the Klett educational company also feels connected to. “The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack” advocates for schools to be kept free from military use, so children in conflict zones can learn in safety. One of the campaign’s successes is the international Safe Schools Declaration, which was launched in 2015 and has been endorsed by 53 nations. “Many cultural conflicts can be attributed to a lack of educational opportunities. Education is an essential prerequisite enabling individuals to develop a mature personality and to find their way in a complex world. This is why it is important that schools remain schools and that they are not misused”, said Philipp Haussmann, spokesperson of the Management Board of the Ernst Klett AG.
The presentation ceremony will take place on June 21, 2016 in the Allianz Forum on Pariser Platz in Berlin, where the Theodor Wanner Award will be bestowed for the sixth time. Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is the patron. Kenneth Roth, CEO of Human Rights Watch, will travel from the NGO’s headquarters in New York to accept the prize money from Philipp Haussmann. Four hundred high-profile guests from the worlds of politics, culture, media and business are expected to attend. The event’s laudatory speaker is Dr. Bärbel Kofler (SPD), Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid.
Every year, the Theodor Wanner Award is given to individuals or organisations for their outstanding commitment to creating dialogue between cultures and promoting a peaceful and enriching environment worldwide. Thus this year's recipient Human Rights Watch has devoted itself to the motto “injustice needs witnesses”. The organisation brings worldwide human rights violations to the attention of the public. Award winners may donate the prize money to projects of their choice.
For additional information on the Theodor Wanner Award, please go to: www.ifa.de/theodor-wanner-preis.
Facts about the Klett Group
The Klett Group is a leading educational company in Europe with its 59 companies at 34 sites in 15 countries. The Group's portfolio encompasses everything from traditional textbooks to modern interactive learning aids; from professional literature to the classics. Moreover, the Klett Group has established itself as the leading private provider of educational and continued education services. The Group companies employ a workforce of 3,206 people and generated a turnover of € 495.1 million in 2015.