The Tonhalle Düsseldorf Human Rights Award 2025 goes to Jouanna Hassoun and Shai Hoffmann from Berlin. Jouanna Hassoun fled to Germany as a child from the civil war in Lebanon, has Palestinian roots and has been active in political education work for over 15 years. Shai Hoffmann is a social entrepreneur and German Jew with Israeli roots.
Since October 7, Hassoun and Hoffmann have been taking their trialogue project to schools across Germany to talk to young people about the Middle East conflict, anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim racism. They want to make Palestinian and Jewish life and suffering visible and show that both can be recognized at the same time. In a protected space, a « braver space », they bring together different perspectives and promote understanding and dialog in order to convey their message of humanity and peaceful coexistence.
Adam Fischer has great admiration for the work of Jouanna Hassoun and Shai Hoffmann: « Hate is like oxygen for every warmonger. Fighting hate is more important than ever. In times when populism and prejudice are on the rise and politics is becoming increasingly emotionalized, Jouanna Hassoun and Shai Hoffmann make sure that people stay in touch and show empathy for each other. »
The Tonhalle Düsseldorf Human Rights Award is endowed with 10,000 euros and is donated by members of the Freundeskreis and Stadtsparkasse Düsseldorf. The award ceremony will take place on January 19, 2025 as part of the Human Rights Concert at the Tonhalle Düsseldorf. Jouanna Hassoun and Shai Hoffmann will receive the award in person. The concert program will include the Tragic Overture and the 4th Symphony by Johannes Brahms. The Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra will perform under the direction of Adam Fischer.
The Tonhalle Human Rights Award celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025. The Principal Conductor of the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra regularly uses the international public for important messages on humanity and democracy and has himself received several awards for his social commitment. Since 2016, he has awarded the prize every year to a person or organization that is particularly committed to freedom and human rights.
