Walther-Rathenau-Award
Every year, the Walther Rathenau Institute awards the Walther-Rathenau-Award in recognition of an outstanding lifetime achievement in foreign policy. The prize, in the form of a gold medal with a portrait of Rathenau, is awarded at a ceremony in Berlin.
On March 19, 2024, Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia, was awarded the Rathenau Award for her clear stance on the war of aggression in Ukraine. The laudatory speech was held by Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock.
100 years after the assassination of Walther Rathenau in Berlin’s Königsallee, the Walther-Rathenau-Award 2022 was awarded to 100-year-old Shoah survivor Margot Friedländer on July 4. The laudatory speech was held by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
On November 5, 2021, Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel received the prize for her lifetime achievement in foreign policy. The laudatory speech was given by historian Professor Sir Christopher Clark from the University of Cambridge.
In October 2018, the Walther-Rathenau-Award was awarded posthumously to former German Foreign Minister Dr. Guido Westerwelle. Westerwelle’s partner Michael Mronz accepted the award during a ceremony in Berlin. The laudatory speeches were held by the Federal Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen and the Governor of the State of New Jersey Philip D. Murphy.
The Federal Chancellor was again the laudator in 2015 when the prize was awarded to Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on September 17, 2015 in the Weltsaal of the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin.
The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Mark Rutte received the Rathenau Prize 2014 on November 21, 2014 in Berlin. The laudatory speech was held by German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was the 2012 Rathenau Award winner. The medal was accepted on April 24, 2013 by UN High Commissioner Antonio Guterres, the laudatory speech was held by Federal Foreign Minister Dr. Westerwelle.
The Walther-Rathenau-Award 2011 was awarded to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on May 31, 2012 in Berlin. The laudatory speech during the ceremony was held by Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel.
In 2010, the award was awarded to US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The award ceremony with the laudatory speech by Dr. Westerwelle took place on April 15, 2011 in Berlin.
The 2009 Walther-Rathenau-Award was awarded to Israeli President Shimon Peres. Foreign Minister Dr. Guido Westerwelle gave the laudatory speech for the award winner during the ceremony on January 27, 2010 in Berlin.
The Walther-Rathenau-Award 2008 is awarded to the former German Foreign Minister Dr. h.c. mult. Hans-Dietrich Genscher was awarded the prize. The award ceremony took place on October 21, 2008 in Berlin. The laudatory speech was held by Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel.
Pictures of all events can be found here.