Hamburg, Mai 2, 2023: Finnish social democrat Sanna Marin is the winner of this year's Helmut-Schmidt-Zukunftspreis, which will be awarded by the weekly newspaper Die Zeit , the German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Foundation and The New Institute on May 4, 2023 at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg. The award honors innovative achievements in the fields of democracy, society and technology.
"The Helmut-Schmidt-Zukunftspreis goes to a pioneering European with clear values and her own political style. She has brought Finland through the corona pandemic most effectively. Sanna Marin set out to make the world a better place, not simply to be a politician. That remains her standard. She has already shaped a new and effective style of politics, shown a clear edge against the Russian aggressor and advanced climate protection. In addition, this 37-year-old woman has huge potential for the future - namely to continue to make her country, Europe, the world a little safer, fairer and greener with a clear view of the realities," says Uwe-Jean Heuser, chairman of the Helmut-Schmidt-Zukunftspreis-jury.
Prize is being awarded for the second time by the Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Foundation, Die Zeit and The New Institute and carries a prize money of 20,000. The award ceremony will take place on May 4 at 7 p.m. at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg. The evening will feature contributions from Igor Levit, Giovanni di Lorenzo and Peer Steinbrück, among others. ARD journalist Aline Abboud will be the moderator of the event.
The jury of the Helmut-Schmidt-Zukunftspreis consists of Alexander Birken (Chairman of the Executive Board of the Otto Group), Antje Boëtius (Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute at the Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research), Francesca Bria (innovation economist), Christoph Gottschalk (Senior Advisor on Policy, Communications and Leadership), Uwe Jean Heuser (Die Zeit), Igor Levit (pianist), Aala Murabit (Director of Health at the Gates Foundation, UN Commissioner for Health, Jobs and Economic Growth and UN Ambassador for the SDGs), Vanessa Nakate (climate activist), Erck Rickmers (entrepreneur and founder of The New Institute) and Meik Woyke (Chairman and CEO of the German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Foundation).
As part of the Helmut-Schmidt-Zukunftspreis Award, a Future Festival will be held for the first time this year, bringing together young future shapers on the Leuphana campus on May 3 and 4, 2023, to explore responsible change and bring new ideas to the world. The central ideas of the Future Festival will be presented on the stage of the Thalia Theater in the form of a poetry slam during the award ceremony.
