Honor for man of dialogue: Charlemagne Prize for Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt
Published: Thursday, May 9th 2024, 13:30
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The President of the European Rabbinical Conference, Pinchas Goldschmidt, has received the International Charlemagne Prize 2024. The 60-year-old rabbi was also honored by the Jewish communities in Europe on Thursday in Aachen. The Charlemagne Prize consists of a certificate and a medal. It is awarded for services to understanding in Europe.
Goldschmidt stands "like no other for dialog and the overcoming of boundaries between religions and peoples", said the Lord Mayor of Aachen, Sibylle Keupen. The award also stands for the recognition of his achievements and the determination to stand up against anti-Semitism and all forms of exclusion.
In his speech, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) paid tribute to the interfaith dialog between Muslims and Jews that Goldschmidt has helped to promote - Goldschmidt is a co-founder of the European Muslim-Jewish Leadership Council.
Goldschmidt stands for interfaith exchange with Muslims and Christians, he emphasizes the unity of religions. The 60-year-old has been President of the Conference of European Rabbis, which brings together more than 700 rabbis, since 2011. Born in Zurich, the Jewish cleric lived in Moscow for more than 30 years. After refusing to support the Russian attack on Ukraine, he left the country with his family.
Numerous international statesmen and personalities, such as Emmanuel Macron, Helmut Kohl, Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and Pope Francis, have been honored with the Charlemagne Prize since 1950. In 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky received the prize.
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