- The Award for Courage will be presented at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2025.
- The award honors individuals showing exceptional bravery for human rights, democracy, and freedom.
- It is endowed with 50,000 euros by the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie.
- The 2022 recipient was Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza.
- The summit, hosted by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, takes place May 13-14, 2025.
The Axel Springer Freedom Foundation and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation are joining forces to present the Award for Courage at the upcoming 8th Copenhagen Democracy Summit. The summit is scheduled to take place on May 13-14, 2025, hosted by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation. The collaboration was announced on April 25, 2025.
Honoring Bravery for Democracy
This partnership between the two organizations strengthens the global platform dedicated to honoring individuals who demonstrate exceptional bravery in their commitment to human rights, democracy, and freedom, often facing significant personal risk. The Award for Courage is now in its third year and continues Axel Springer’s enduring legacy of supporting those who stand against authoritarianism. The award is endowed by the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie with 50,000 euros.
Previous Recipient and Award Background
The inaugural recipient of the Award for Courage in 2022 was Russian opposition politician, historian, and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza. According to the announcement, Kara-Murza has fought tirelessly for a democratic Russia despite surviving poisoning attempts and enduring imprisonment following his criticism of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Leaders Emphasize Partnership Significance
In a joint statement, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, founder of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, and Mathias Döpfner, Chairman of the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation and CEO of Axel Springer SE, emphasized the significance of this partnership. They highlighted concerns that “Across much of the free world, we have become astonishingly complacent about standing up for our democratic values,” which they stated has led to economic dependencies on autocracies and a chronic underinvestment in armed forces. They added that with this award, “we honour those leaders who sacrifice their own freedom and risk their lives daily to stand up for values we in Europe take for granted,” and noted that the award “highlights the work of many brave democracy defenders around the world, but it also underlines how much work remains unfinished in our collective fight against the autocrats.” (Source: Joint Statement)
Amplifying Voices on the Frontlines
Antje Schippmann, Co-founder and Managing Director of the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation, stated that by presenting this award at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, the aim is to “amplify the voices of those fighting on the frontlines of freedom.” She further commented that this partnership “represents our commitment to building stronger international networks of support for human rights defenders worldwide.” The Axel Springer Freedom Foundation continues its work supporting dissidents, artists, and media professionals from authoritarian countries through various means, including donations, public advocacy, and facilitating connections with decision-makers in civil society, business, and politics.
About the Summit and Foundations
The Copenhagen Democracy Summit is an annual conference hosted by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation. It brings together political and business leaders, including current and former heads of government, from democratic nations worldwide to strengthen bonds among them and address the challenges facing democratic values globally. The 2025 summit will be the 8th such gathering. The Alliance of Democracies Foundation, founded by former NATO Secretary General and Prime Minister of Denmark, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is dedicated to advancing democracy and free markets across the globe. It works to strengthen the bonds between the world’s democratic nations and promote democratic values worldwide through initiatives like the Copenhagen Democracy Summit.