21st presentation of the Bruno Kreisky Honorary Prize for services to human rights
Fifty years ago, on the occasion of the 65th birthday of the then Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, the Bruno Kreisky Foundation for Services to Human Rights was founded by various banks, political institutions and social partnership-oriented organizations.
At the invitation of Vienna's Mayor, Dr. Michael Ludwig, who represents the City of Vienna on the foundation's board of trustees, the Bruno Kreisky Prize for Services to Human Rights was awarded for the 21st time on October 22, 2026, in the Coat of Arms Hall of Vienna City Hall, as part of the anniversary celebrations. This prize is one of the most prestigious and long-standing human rights prizes in Austria and Europe. Among the numerous highly deserving individuals who have received the Kreisky Human Rights Prize are, for example, the later South African President and freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the current President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and this year's keynote speaker at the Salzburg Festival, Maryja Kalesnikawa from Belarus.
During the celebratory event, Professor Dr. Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf delivered a highly impressive keynote address on attacks against the independence of the judiciary, academia, and the media. In this context, she also called for strengthening existing constitutions against anti-democratic takeover attempts.
The jury, composed of independent experts, honored the following institutions and individuals for their outstanding commitment to human rights:
Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo
The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) was founded in 2003 as an NGO and has grown into a regional network encompassing Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. YIHR Kosovo (YIHR KS), established in 2004, has been working for two decades to protect and promote human rights and democratic values in Kosovo and the region. Over the years, YIHR KS has successfully engaged thousands of young people, established lasting cross-border partnerships, and garnered national and international recognition for its contributions to human rights and peacebuilding. Its focus areas include coming to terms with the past, protecting human rights and the rule of law, and empowering young people at the local and regional levels. YIHR KS's mission is to inspire young people to document human rights violations, take preventative action, promote their inclusion, and build partnerships to amplify their voices and foster peace. The Executive Director is Marigona Shabiu, who has extensive experience in civil society and relevant academic qualifications.
Martin Schenk, MA
Martin Schenk is a social psychologist with many years of experience at Diakonie (a social welfare organization) and previously worked in youth services and with people with disabilities, the homeless, and those suffering from severe trauma. As a social expert, he has been committed to the common good, justice, and positive social cohesion for decades. In the mid-1990s, he co-founded the Poverty Conference, where he continues to serve on the coordination team. He is a networker and initiator of projects including "Hunger for Art and Culture," "Hemayat," the "Journalism Prize for the Below," the "Social Rights Network," and the "Going Along" project. Using scientific evidence and the experiences of those affected, he combats myths and stigma, raising public awareness and advocating for solutions. He writes regularly for the street newspaper Augustin and teaches at the University of Applied Sciences for Social Work in Vienna. His book "Bread and Roses" emphasizes the material and immaterial foundations of life. He has also co-initiated relevant studies and has been a member of the Human Rights Advisory Board since 2000.
The awarding of the Bruno Kreisky Prize to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Dr. Volker Türk, will take place as part of a separate event in early March 2027.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Dr. Volker Türk
Dr. Türk took office as the eighth United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva in October 2022. Previously, he served as Under-Secretary-General for Policy (2021-2022) and Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York (2019-2021). In this role, he coordinated system-wide strategic actions and policy issues, including the Secretary-General's report "Our Common Agenda"—a vision for strengthening multilateralism that served as the basis for the Summit of the Future and the Pact for the Future of Human Rights. As Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at UNHCR in Geneva (2015-2019), Dr. Türk played a key role in the development of the Global Compact on Refugees. Prior to that, Dr. Türk held key positions with UNHCR in Geneva and in various countries, including Malaysia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kuwait. Türk received his doctorate in international law from the University of Vienna and has published numerous academic works on international refugee law and international human rights issues.
The event also attracted considerable media interest:
https://religion.orf.at/stories/3237883
Social expert Schenk received the Kreisky Foundation's human rights prize.