2024 Max van der Stoel Award - Call for nominations! (Deadline Extension)
The High Commissioner on National Minorities of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE HCNM) invites you to nominate a candidate (an individual or an organization) for the 2024 Max van der Stoel Award.
What is the Max van der Stoel Award?
The Max van der Stoel Award is a prize of €50.000 that is presented by the Government of the Netherlands every two years to a person, group or institution for extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities in the OSCE participating States. Eligible candidates include international organizations, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, government bodies or individuals with a record of excellence in the field of improving the position of national minorities in the OSCE area.
The award was established in 2001 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and honours the memory of Max van der Stoel, the first High Commissioner on National Minorities (seen here in Vukovar, Croatia).
The 2024 Max van der Stoel Award ceremony will take place in the Fall in The Hague.
Nominations
Deadline: 6 May 2024
OSCE field missions, institutions and delegations may nominate a candidate here through the online form; by email to mvds@hcnm.org; or write to: Max van der Stoel Award, OSCE HCNM, Prinsessegracht 22, 2514 AP The Hague, The Netherlands.
Others may propose an eligible candidate by contacting their local OSCE mission, a delegation to the OSCE or one of the OSCE institutions: they will decide whether to nominate your proposed candidate.
You may also propose a candidate directly to the office of the OSCE HCNM:
- through the online form here;
- by email to mvds@hcnm.org; or
- in writing to:
Max van der Stoel Award
OSCE HCNM
Prinsessegracht 22
2514 AP The Hague
The Netherlands.
Please include the name and contact details of your proposed candidate, together with the reason for your nomination (in 100-200 words, and in English).
OSCE HCNM Celebrates 30 years presence in The Hague
In a heartwarming ceremony on January 18, 2024, The Hague witnessed a remarkable expression of gratitude from OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Kairat Abdrakhmanov. In honor of the city's unwavering support over the past 30 years, a special bench was dedicated to The Hague, symbolizing the enduring partnership between the city and the HCNM.
Photography © OSCE / Arnaud Roelofsz.
We at Just Peace were honored with the invitation to be present at the special event that took place on January 18, 2024 in The Hague. The High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Kairat Abdrakhmanov, dedicated a bench to the city of The Hague on this day as a token of gratitude for 30 years of hospitality.
High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov thanked the mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands for their long-standing support to the HCNM. The bench, placed in Walther Boerweide Park in Haagse Bos, symbolizes not only the gratitude of the HCNM but also the special relationship between the city of peace and justice and this important international organization.
"The bench is an expression of appreciation to the city that has welcomed us for the past 30 years while creating a special place to inform the public about the important work of the HCNM," Abdrakhmanov explained.
Mayor Van Zanen emphasized The Hague's hosting of the HCNM and expressed appreciation for the organization's role in the city's peace and justice ecosystem.
Paul van den IJssel, Ambassador International Organizations on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shared the Netherlands' strong belief in HCNM's conflict prevention work.
The bench bears a plaque with the message, "Integration with respect for diversity; In gratitude to the City of The Hague and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for hosting and supporting our work for thirty years" in both English and Dutch. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the City of The Hague, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Staatsbosbeheer and several bilateral ambassadors to the Netherlands.
This momentous occasion highlights not only The Hague's commitment to international cooperation but also its crucial role in promoting peace and justice worldwide.
