Mayor of Cologne Henriette Reker wins first edition of Mayor Pawel Adamowicz Award
Henriette Reker, the Mayor of Cologne, was named today the first winner of an award created in honour of Mayor Paweł Adamowicz of Gdańsk, who was murdered in January 2019. Mayor Reker, the first woman to serve as Mayor of Cologne, was recognised for her determination during more than 20 years promoting diversity, solidarity and integration as a crucial part of Cologne's identity. Mayor Reker suffered from her unwavering dedication to her community and work as mayor; in 2015, she survived a knife attack motivated by her commitment to helping migrant communities.
The award was jointly created by the City of Gdańsk, where Mr Adamowicz served as mayor for 20 years, by the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) and by the European Committee of the Regions, of which Mr. Adamowicz was a member. The award is a tribute to his legacy defending democracy at the local level, and will serve to recognize those who act with courage and integrity against intolerance, radicalisation, hate speech, oppression, and xenophobia.
Helge Lunde, Executive Director of ICORN: “When Mayor Pawel Adamowicz brought the City of Gdańsk into ICORN in 2017, he insisted that this was not only an important concrete action to protect and support persecuted writers and artists, but also an expression of the moral underpinning of Gdańsk that makes it a committed actor for human rights, freedom of expression and international solidarity. It is our hope that the new award established in his name will contribute to continuing the tireless fight for freedom and solidarity he fought throughout his life and career.”
The idea to establish an award in the name of Mayor Pawel Adamowicz was first put forward by former ICORN board member Danuta Glondys, when Mayor Adamowicz was commemorated during the ICORN Network Meeting in Rotterdam in May 2019. The City of Gdansk and the European Committee of the Region joined as trusted partners, an award secretariat was set up, and a select group of institutions and individuals (including ICORN member cities) were invited to take part in the nomination process. An evaluation committee shortlisted five exceptional candidates, and the award jury named the first laureate of the Mayor Pawel Adamowicz Award: Mayor of Cologne Henriette Reker.
Mayor Reker will be further recognized at the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award Ceremony that will take place on 27 January 2022 during a Plenary Session of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels.
You can read more about Mayor Pawel Adamowicz’s life and legacy in the following website and on social media following the hashtag #AdamowiczAward.
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