21 August 2024. Dr Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo, and Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, will be honoured with the M100 Media Award on 12 September from 19:00 (CET) in the Orangery of Sanssouci Park in Potsdam.
The keynote political address will be delivered by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The award ceremony will be hosted by journalist and TV presenter Astrid Frohloff.
“Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu and Donald Tusk are indispensable voices for our democratic free society in these challenging times,” said Mike Schubert, Lord Mayor of the State Capital of Potsdam and Chair of the M100 Advisory Board, on the Board’s decision. “They are trailblazers for a modern and stable Europe. Vjosa Osmani has demonstrated determination and foresight in advocating for the young democracy in a region long marked by conflict, showing the critical importance of safeguarding freedom and justice. Donald Tusk represents an unwavering fight against autocracy and the non-negotiable nature of democratic values. Both – Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu and Donald Tusk – place human rights and democratic principles at the core of their actions. Their voices are invaluable right now – not only for their countries but for the entire continent. They are not just committed Europeans, but above all, compelling ones. Their work sets standards and inspires.”
Dr Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu was elected President of the Republic of Kosovo in April 2021. The 42-year-old holds a doctorate in law and is the second woman to lead the country, which declared its independence 16 years ago. Since Serbia does not recognise Kosovo’s independence, the two countries are engaged in a dialog on normalization of relations facilitated by the EU and supported by the United States of America. As a teenager, Osmani-Sadriu experienced the Kosovo War of 1998/1999 first-hand. A decade later, the young jurist, who earned her doctorate in international law from the University of Pittsburgh, successfully represented her country before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which ultimately confirmed that Kosovo’s declaration of independence did not violate international law. Since the beginning of her political career, Osmani-Sadriu has tirelessly advocated for reforms, the strengthening of democracy, a pro-European course, the fight against corruption, as well as equality and women’s rights in her country and beyond. President Osmani is committed to democracy and the rule of law, as well as the integration of the Republic of Kosovo into the Euro-Atlantic structures. Despite all threats and obstacles, President Osmani is unwavering in sending strong pro-European signal that democracy and freedom must be defended as essential achievements. In 2024, President Osmani was awarded the European Prize by the Coudenhove-Kalergi Society for her continued efforts in promoting and defending Euro-Atlantic values.
Donald Tusk has been the Polish Prime Minister since 2023. Through a compelling campaign that emphasised unity over division, his pro-European party Platforma Obywatelska (PO) successfully steered the country back towards a functioning democracy with a free press, after it had been governed almost autocratically by the PIS party from 2015 to 2023. In doing so, he stands as a rare political figure representing the success of the European unification and enlargement process, Poland’s achievements over the past two decades, the restoration of the rule of law and democratic values in Poland, and the revitalisation of close trilateral cooperation within the framework of the Weimar Triangle with France. Tusk served as President of the European Council from 2014 to 2019 and was Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland from 2007 to 2014. From 2019 to 2022, he was Chair of the European People’s Party. On 13 December 2023, he resumed his role as Polish Prime Minister. The 67-year-old is one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine. In 2022, he delivered one of the two laudations at the M100 Media Award ceremony honouring the Ukrainian people, with the award being accepted on their behalf by Dr Wladimir Klitschko.
The M100 Media Award will be live-streamed on www.m100potsdam.org.
The prize has been awarded since 2005 as part of the international media conference M100 Sanssouci Colloquium. Recent recipients include Alexei Navalny (2021), the people of Ukraine (2022), and the Women, Life, Freedom movement of Iran (2023).
