Anne Frank Center Wins €25,000 Prize for Fighting Antisemitism and Racism
Ravensburg/Frankfurt/Main/Berlin – Its diary stands as a symbol of a world free from hatred and violence: The Ravensburger Verlag Foundation has awarded a special prize to the Anne Frank Educational Center in Frankfurt am Main, named in honor of the young Holocaust victim. Dr. Deborah Schnabel and Prof. Dr. Meron Mendel will receive the award, which recognizes an outstanding educational initiative as part of the foundation's 25th-anniversary celebrations. For over 30 years, the Anne Frank Educational Center has informed the public about the life of the famous Jewish girl who fell victim to the Nazis, while raising awareness of antisemitism, racism, and other forms of hostility toward humanity. The €25,000 special prize will be presented at a ceremonial event in Berlin on November 24, 2025.
In 2025, the Ravensburger Verlag Foundation marks 25 years of active commitment to education and upbringing. "We are dedicating our anniversary entirely to these causes by awarding a €25,000 special prize to the Anne Frank Educational Center," explains board member Johannes Hauenstein. "Their exceptional work aligns with our goals and reflects the publishing engagement of our founders, who established the Ravensburger Verlag Foundation in 2000." Promoting historical responsibility through education—a mission also embodied by the Anne Frank Educational Center. As a nationwide nonprofit organization based in Frankfurt am Main, it educates young people and adults about antisemitism, racism, and other forms of discrimination while empowering them to actively participate in an open, democratic society. Since 1994, the center's work has been guided by Anne Frank's vision of a world without hatred and violence, as well as the humanist message of her world-famous diary.
"Linking democratic education and media literacy for the digital age"
"Advocating for children, families, and education also means shaping a society where we can all live well together in our diversity," says Prof. Dr. Meron Mendel, director of the Anne Frank Educational Center. "Through our work, we champion solidarity and democracy, helping young people and adults recognize historical and contemporary forms of racism and antisemitism so they can actively contribute to a future free from discrimination." The center delivers impactful, youth-oriented political education by addressing current issues and leveraging technological innovations, as Dr. Deborah Schnabel, co-director, explains: "Modern education must engage with the multiple crises and conflicts of our time, integrating democratic education and media literacy for the digital era. This recognition from the Ravensburger Verlag Foundation strengthens and affirms our mission."
Berlin gala places special prize in the spotlight
This one-time special prize for outstanding educational work complements the foundation's 2025 Family Novel Book Prize and 2025 Lighthouse Award for Volunteerism during its anniversary year. All three awards will be presented on November 24, 2025, at the Baden-Württemberg State Representation in Berlin. The keynote address will be delivered by Düzen Tekkal, an author, journalist, and human rights activist known for her advocacy of democracy, diversity, and social cohesion. Manne Lucha, Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Social Affairs, will open the ceremony and convey greetings from the state government.
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