Saturday evening saw the awarding of the first ‘German Peace Prize for Photography’ to Johanna Maria Fritz. Lord Mayor Wolfgang Griesert presented the certificate and the winner’s cheque for 10,000 euros to the photographer from Berlin.

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With her work titled ‘Like a Bird’, Fritz won through against projects submitted by top-class competitors from 43 countries around the world. The prize is the result of a joint initiative launched by the City of Osnabrück and the Felix Schoeller Group. The winning entry and the work of the nominees will be on view to the general public in an exhibition in Osnabrück’s Museum Quarter from 20 October 2019 to 8 March 2020.

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Wolfgang Griesert, Lord Mayor of the City of Osnabrück, expressed his appreciation of the enormous engagement of the photographers from 43 countries who submitted entries for the ‘German Peace Prize for Photography’: The ‘German Peace Prize for Photography’ is a wonderful opportunity that ensures that we never lose sight of the concept of peace, even in troubled times.’ He also emphasised the special connections with Osnabrück, ‘The City of Peace’, and its numerous activities and events in the name of peace. ‘Up until now, there has been no comparable art award in Germany. With the German Peace Prize for Photography’, we have created a special format for addressing the subject of peace’, says Griesert.

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The new culture prize as a commitment to the City of Peace

It is no coincidence that the new cultural peace prize comes from the City of Osnabrück. With the creation of the award, the initiators paid tribute to the special role played by the city in history. As the city in which the Peace of Westphalia was negotiated in 1648, Osnabrück understands its history as a commitment to engage in the politics of peace. This also applies to the cultural programme being developed for the city and beyond regional borders.

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The German Peace Prize for Photography Exhibition, from 20 October 2019 – 8 March 2020.

The winning entry and the work of the nominees will be on view in an exhibition in Osnabrück’s Museum Quarter from 20 October 2019 to 8 March 2020. The exhibited works are all printed on Felix Schoeller photographic paper, some of which are in formats of up to 120 x 100 cm. The exhibition of the Peace Prize also breaks new ground in public space: In the bus shelters in downtown Osnabrück, the photos of the winners and nominees are presented to a broad public.

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