Barcelona wants to turn peace into a city policy with international projection. He City Council, the Provincial Council of Barcelona and the Pau Casals Foundation have presented this Wednesday the ‘I International Prize Barcelona per la Pau’, a new biennial award worth 300,000 euros which will recognize projects of international scope linked to the culture of peace, the defense of human rights, coexistence and non-violent conflict resolution. He first winner will be decided in November and the delivery gala is scheduled for early 2027 at the Barcelona Auditorium.
The award was created within the framework of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Pau Casals, although the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collbonihas placed it in a more immediate context: that of a world crossed by wars, humanitarian crises and weakening of diplomacy. “We are an anti-war city, we are a city of peace,” he defended during the presentation at the Saló de Cent. The mayor has assured that Barcelona cannot “remain impassive” in the face of war and the suffering of the civilian population.
Collboni explained that the initiative began two years ago, when the institutions were looking for how to commemorate Casals’ anniversary, and admits that at that time they did not imagine that the award was “so necessary” at the current time. The objective, according to the council, is to distinguish initiatives that have contributed in a “relevant, transformative and verifiable” way to the construction of more peaceful, just and cohesive societies.
Barcelona vindicates its pacifist tradition
The mayor has presented the award as more than a symbolic recognition. The financial award must be used to reinforce the continuity, consolidation or scalability of the award-winning project. “We will not be afraid, we will not submit and we will not be silent”stated Collboni, who links the award with the pacifist tradition of Barcelona. His speech had space to remember the large demonstration against the Iraq war in 2003the role of the city as refugio and the recovery of the ‘Districte 11′ of Sarajevo now oriented to cooperation with Palestinian cities. “Barcelona has been a city of refuge and we are proud to be so,” he stressed.
Isabel Allende, Chilean senator, daughter of Salvador Allendeis one of the members of the award’s advisory board. In the presentation this Wednesday, he highlighted the political dimension of the award and defended that peace cannot be understood only as the absence of conflict. “Peace is also the ability of societies to manage their tensions without destroying the rules that allow them to live together.”he pointed out. In his speech he linked the culture of peace with democratic memory, human rights, citizen participation and international cooperation.
The legacy of Pau Casals
He director general of the Pau Casals Foundation, Jordi Pardohas placed the award in the continuity of the humanist commitment of the Catalan musician. Casals, remember, combined his artistic excellence with a firm defense of freedom, democracy, human rights and the dignity of people. The award aims to project this legacy from Barcelona towards peace initiatives of global reach. The award is inspired by values such as dialogue between peoples and cultures, the defense of human rights, multilateralism, social justice, equity, sustainability and social innovation.
Advisory board and calendar
The prize will have two governance bodies: a steering committeeformed by representatives of the City Council, the Provincial Council and the Pau Casals Foundation, and an independent advisory board. Among the first confirmed names are Isabel Allende; the Princess Rym Ali of Jordanpresident of the Anna Lindh Foundation; Shigemitsu Tanakaco-president of Nihon Hidankyo, an organization awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize; and the Basque philosopher Daniel Innerarity.
The call for the first edition will open during this month of April. The winner’s choice by the steering committee is scheduled for November 2026after consulting the advisory board. The award ceremony will be held in early 2027 in a “solemn” gala at the Barcelona Auditorium.
The award will also be accompanied by a cycle of Dialogues for Peacewith activities in Barcelona and in international forums. The first session will take place this Thursday at Casa Amèrica Catalunya, with a conversation between the second deputy mayor, Maria Eugènia Gay, and Isabel Allende about democracy, memory, cities and peace.
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