The Johann-Philipp-Palm-Award for Freedom of Speech and the Press

For Liberty against Violence

Every other year the Palm-Foundation registered non-profit organisation presents the Johann-Philip-Palm-Award for Freedom of Speech and the Press. It is endowed with 20,000 Euros. The award bears the name of Johann Philipp Palm, a historical role model in the struggle for Freedom of Speech and the Press. By presenting this award, the Palm Foundation wishes to emphasize the importance of establishing and maintaining freedom of speech and freedom of the press, both within Germany as well as internationally, as both freedoms are an absolute prerequisite for any democracy. Both occupy an important place in a free democratic constitutional structure and both have to be reclaimed again and again.

In a globalized world, both freedom of speech as well as freedom of the press are of vital importance across territorial and social borders. These fundamental rights are therefore not only embedded in the constitution of a free democratic constitutional state as constitutive elements (article 5 of the charter) but are also recognized as fundamental human rights European-wide (article 10 of the European convention for human rights) and worldwide (article 19 of the Declaration of Human Rights, UNESCO-declaration by Windhoek.)

The Palm-Foundation´s Board of Trustees has chosen the laureates for the international Johann-Philipp-Palm-Award for Freedom of Speech and the Press 2012! The official announcement is traditionally held on August, 26.th 2012 - obit of the Foundation´s namesake, bookseller and publisher Johann Philipp Palm (1766 - 1806).

The festive award-ceremony in Schorndorf (near Stuttgart/ Southern Germany) will take place on Sunday, December, 2.nd 2012. Everybody is very welcome to honour the laureates for their achievement.