Reinhard Mohn Prize awarded to Maia Sandu and Michael Otto
Gütersloh – February 20, 2025. The Bertelsmann Stiftung today awarded the 2025 Reinhard Mohn Prize to the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, and to entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Otto. In keeping with the title of this year’s prize – “Strengthen democracy!” – it presented the award in recognition of both recipients’ commitment to democratic values and a free society. At Gütersloh Theater, before an audience of some 500 guests, Germany’s Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Liz Mohn, honorary member of the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Board of Trustees and the foundation’s global representative, gave the presentation speeches. The two award winners will share the prize money totaling €200,000 euros and will donate it to non-profit projects and initiatives. The Bertelsmann Stiftung broadcast the ceremony via livestream.
“In a crisis-torn world, democracy faces enormous challenges,” said Liz Mohn. “Maintaining, developing and strengthening democracy was one of the key concerns my husband and I had when we established the Bertelsmann Stiftung. That is why we want to send a strong signal on its behalf by awarding the Reinhard Mohn Prize to Maia Sandu and Michael Otto.”
“Democracy thrives when people stand up for it”
Maia Sandu: “Democracy thrives when people stand up for it, even in the face of adversity. In Moldova, we have chosen the path of democracy, freedom, and European integration, despite immense challenges and external pressures. The recent elections and referendum showed the resilience of our people and their unwavering commitment to a future in the European family. This award is not just for me—it belongs to the people of Moldova, who have chosen democracy over fear, truth over disinformation, and progress over stagnation.”
Michael Otto: “Democracy thrives on diversity, just as democracy alone can create diversity: diversity of opinions, of voices and of solutions and the possibilities for realizing them. It is the only way to obtain the best solutions for the future. That is why we must all do our utmost to preserve and strengthen liberal democracy.”
Committed European, entrepreneur dedicated to multiple causes
Maia Sandu has been president of the Republic of Moldova since the end of 2020. She was elected to a second term of office at the beginning of November. During the election campaign and voting process, massive attempts by Russia to prevent her re-election through manipulation, interference and the spread of disinformation were documented. Sandu has actively promoted Moldova’s EU integration for years.
Michael Otto was chairman of the Executive Board of the Otto Group from 1981 to 2007 and has served as chairman of its Supervisory Board since then. The Hamburg-based entrepreneur was an early advocate of environmental protection, development aid and social and educational projects. He has established several foundations, including the environmental foundation bearing his name as well as Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft and the Michael Otto Foundation for Sustainability.
Keywords
Contacts
Jochen Arntz
Tel:+49 52 41 81 81 129jochen.arntz@bertelsmann-stiftung.deImages
Links
Additional information:
The Reinhard Mohn Prize is given in memory of the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s founder, Reinhard Mohn († October 2009). It is awarded to internationally renowned individuals who have played a key role in developing forward-looking solutions to social and political challenges. Past recipients include Joachim Gauck, Rita Süssmuth and Kofi Annan. More information is available on the Reinhard Mohn Prize website and on the website Strengthen democracy!
Subscribe to releases from Bertelsmann Stiftung
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Bertelsmann Stiftung by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Bertelsmann Stiftung
Many advanced economies remain ill-prepared for present challenges28.5.2025 11:00:00 CEST | Press release
A shifting geopolitical landscape, sluggish growth, digital transformation, the climate crisis and demographic change are testing the capacity of OECD and EU countries to innovate and adapt like never before. Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway are among the best positioned. But the analysis of 144 indicators from the Bertelsmann Stiftung's Sustainable Governance Indicators (SGI) reveals a troubling pattern: most advanced economies are still not adequately equipped to deliver sustainable policy.
New white paper: Public AI as a democratic alternative to the concentration of private power20.5.2025 12:00:00 CEST | Press release
Gütersloh, May 20, 2025 The most powerful AI systems of our time were developed and are controlled by a small number of private companies – including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta, and DeepSeek. These companies don’t just dominate the development of models, they control the basic infrastructure of the AI ecosystem: computing capacities, training data, and cloud services. This concentration of power is not just a technological reality – it is a political challenge. It raises a central question: Who designs the systems that are increasingly influencing our society?
Growth and innovation as cornerstones of a strong democracy and a digitally sovereign Europe29.4.2025 12:00:00 CEST | Press release
Germany should be restored to a growth path and should give new impulse to innovation, along with its European partners. Because prosperity is a significant guarantor of a stable democracy. Digital sovereignty is the anchor of a strong Europe. Germany can once again be a country of pioneering innovation and a pacesetter for the continent. For this, comprehensive modernization of the state is indispensable. The Bertelsmann Stiftung presented its proposals at the annual press conference.
Climate neutrality: The OECD and EU countries best equipped to lead the way17.12.2024 08:00:00 CET | Press release
How determined are OECD and EU countries in pursuing the goal of climate neutrality by 2050? A recent monitoring report by the Bertelsmann Stiftung reveals that Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Spain are setting the pace with their effective policy strategies. In contrast, Canada, Australia, Israel, Poland and Hungary need to significantly ramp up their efforts. The analysis compares the effectiveness of national policies in climate protection, energy transition and circular economy practices.
More than half of all young people in the EU feel lonely16.12.2024 08:00:00 CET | Press release
Gütersloh, 16.12.2024. Many young adults in the EU share the feeling that they are lonely. Around 57 per cent of young Europeans aged from 18 to 35 feel moderately or strongly lonely, according to a new Bertelsmann Stiftung study entitled “Loneliness of Young People Compared across Europe in 2024.” The data for the EU-wide survey derive from the European opinion research tool eupinions.