Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands was responsible, this Tuesday, for awarding prizes to six artists and cultural actors. These awards are named after his late father. For the occasion, his wife, Princess Laurentien, his brother, King Willem-Alexander, and his sister-in-law, Princess Mabel, were present.
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The Prince Claus Fund Impact Awards were presented at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam
The Prince Claus Fund was established in 1996 in honor of Prince Claus’ dedication to culture and development. The Impact Awards are awarded every two years by this foundation to artists whose innovative work has made a positive contribution to their society. One of his sons, Prince Constantijn, is the honorary president of the board of directors of this foundation. As such, Prince Constantijn is responsible for presenting the prizes during the ceremony.
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This Tuesday, December 3, the Prince Claus Impact Awards ceremony took place at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. The two sons and two daughters-in-law of Prince Claus, who died in 2002, were present. Normally, his widow, the former Queen Beatrix, would also be present. Princess Beatrix canceled her visit for health reasons. King Willem-Alexander was present in memory of his father and to support his brother. Prince Constantijn was present with his wife, Princess Laurentien. Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau, widow of Prince Friso, also wanted to pay tribute to her father-in-law. Prince Friso, second son of Beatrix and Claus, died in 2013 following a skiing accident.
The Prince Claus Fund mainly finances three awards: the Seeds Awards, the Impact Awards and research grants on specific themes. The winners of this prize are selected by a jury. “Our winners have dedicated their lives to solving pressing social problems, in creative and innovative ways”said Prince Constantijn in his speech. “By connecting local and global realities, the winners have helped weave a tapestry of stories of real human beings, who are living history, who have lived the stories that need to be told. By examining, revising and rewriting history, they rescue it from nationalist politics and pave the way for a more sustainable and equitable future.”
The winners represent a variety of fields, from architecture to poetry to philosophy to visual arts. These individuals dedicate their work to addressing political and environmental issues, the nature of identity, and human rights in ways that engage and empower their own communities. The winners of this edition are Ailton Krenak from Brazil, Maria Medrano from Argentina, Hassan Darsi from Morocco, Alain Gomis from Senegal, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara from Cuba and May Al-Ibrashy from Egypt.
