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There was no ceremonial delivery of the peace prize, even the federal president as a laudator had to pass because he is in quarantine. Steinmeier, however, praised Amartya Sen as a great academic.
Indian economist and philosopher Amartya Sen was awarded the German Book Trade Peace Prize in Frankfurt am Main. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gave the eulogy at the celebration in Paulskirche. His speech was read by actor Burghart Klaußner, as the head of state had to go into quarantine due to the corona infection of one of his bodyguards.
The award winner was connected to the event, which was largely without an audience due to the corona pandemic, via video from Boston. The 86-year-old man lives there and has been teaching as a professor at Harvard University since 2004.
“Sen writes against the inequalities of the world”
In his speech, the federal president emphasized that Amartya Sen is “connected like no other with the idea of global justice.” Although he is “an academic through and through,” his work is not still academic. He wanted to be understood, and he not only wanted to understand the world, he wanted to change it.
“Amartya Sen changed her,” Steinmeier praised. “Amartya Sen writes against the inequalities and injustices of this world”. Quoting Sen, Steinmeier called for “rules for globalization.” If this turned out to be unfair, “then we don’t have to change the rules?” Asked the federal president.
Democracy must find answers to such questions. This also includes the fight against discrimination and the “life-threatening climate crisis”. Democracy is also the best possible form of government to make the necessary decisions and, if necessary, correct them. “Let’s face this responsibility!” Demanded the federal president.
Börsenverein: “The correct winner in the Crown year”
Sen is the correct winner in the Crown year, said Börsenverein director Karin Schmidt-Friderichs. “Because what Sen writes about identity and justice seemed and seems to be an adequate basis for building a better world after Corona.”
Sen has “addressed global justice issues as a thought leader for decades,” says the Foundation Council’s reasoning for the award. His work is more relevant today than ever.
Sen was born in 1933 in the West Bengal region of India. For decades, he has been researching the consequences of globalization and the causes of poverty and hunger at universities around the world. His considerations are based on the Human Development Index used by the United Nations. In 1998 he received the Nobel Prize in Economics for his theories on welfare economics in developing countries.
The Peace Prize has been awarded since 1950
The awarding of the Peace Prize traditionally takes place at the end of the Frankfurt Book Fair. The award has been awarded since 1950 and is endowed with 25,000 euros. According to the statute, it should distinguish a personality “who has made an outstanding contribution to the realization of the idea of peace, mainly through his work in the fields of literature, science and art.”
Award winners include GDR civil rights activist Friedrich Schorlemmer, writer Martin Walser, and philosopher Jürgen Habermas. Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado received the award last year.
