03-10-2025

AK Shalom human rights prize goes to Colombia

This year's Eichstätt Shalom Prize goes to a peace project in Colombia. The "Casa Social Cultural y Memoria" in the Pacific port city of Buenaventura was founded in 2009 as an alternative to the violent life in the gang and drug crime environment. This was announced by the "Working Group Shalom for Justice and Peace" at the KU. The award ceremony will take place on June 29 at the KU Sommerresidenz. The award is one of the most highly endowed human rights prizes in Germany and the prize money is collected through donations.

The "Casa" of Buenaventura has become a symbol of peace, a point of reference for children, young people, women, Afro-American and ecological groups, according to the “Shalom” working group. The place stands for remembrance, healing and reconciliation. "Leaders of social movements meet on the Casa's premises, where courses and projects in the field of political education are held. Children and young people in particular should be shown alternatives to violence." The volunteers use murals, amateur theater, a library, a recording studio, an archive and photo exhibitions as educational and didactic tools. The Casa Social Cultural y Memoria is also a place of remembrance, of healing wounds inflicted on people and of reconciliation.

The Shalom Prize is considered as one of the highest value human rights prizes in Germany. Donations for the prize money will be collected for the project selected to be awarded this year from now until December. Last year, donations amounted to 30,000 euros. Last year’s prize went to Jeevika, an Indian project against bonded labor. The prize money for the award is raised exclusively from donations by various institutions and private individuals.

Donations can be transferred to the account

Diözese Eichstätt (KdöR)
IBAN DE52 7509 0300 0007 6521 00
Reference: AK Shalom, name of donor, address, place
(Donation receipt required yes/no)

The Eichstätt Shalom Working Group has been campaigning for human rights since 1981. It is run by volunteers – mainly students and citizens. Previous winners include the Polish Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa (1983) and the Irish missionary Shay Cullen (2017), who works in the Philippines.

Sustainability at KU

The KU has set itself the goal of integrating, living and continuously developing sustainability as an integral part of all areas of university life, teaching and research. In this context, the KU has a vision for a sustainable future: Ecological and social responsibility should go hand in hand for developing sustainable solutions that have a local and global impact. As a committed university, the KU therefore works closely with a wide range of partners in all areas of society and the economy. In its role as a pioneer, it also wants to be a role model and initiator for the successful implementation of the sustainability goals.

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