Westphalian Peace Prize 2026: Award ceremony on October 1st in Münster

Münster, April 27, 2026 – The date is set: This year's award ceremony for the International Prize of Westphalian Peace will take place on October 1 in Münster's historic town hall. On that Thursday, the Economic Society for Westphalia and Lippe (WWL) will present the 2026 Prize of Westphalian Peace to NATO. Secretary General Mark Rutte will accept the award on behalf of the alliance. It has now been confirmed that Chancellor Friedrich Merz will deliver the laudatory speech for the recipient.

The laudatory speech for socioMovens, the youth recipient of the 2026 Westphalian Peace Prize, will be given by Cardinal Michael Czerny, the Holy See's delegate for migration. He is considered one of the most prominent humanitarian voices in the Catholic Church worldwide. The organization “socioMovens – Giving Europe a Soul” is an international youth network with roots in Central and Eastern Europe that promotes social engagement, European understanding, and a values-based youth culture.

“The 2026 International Prize of Westphalian Peace is more than just an award: it provides the framework for a comprehensive program that addresses the central questions of our time. The guiding question is: What does peace need today?” explains Dr. Reinhard Zinkann, Chairman of the Economic Society for Westphalia and Lippe.

This program will kick off on May 26 with an open public dialogue, inviting citizens to reflect together on the conditions for peace in a changing world: global security, social cohesion, economic stability, and the responsibility of each individual for peace. (Location: Peace Chapel at Peace Park, Willy-Brandt-Weg 37, Münster – Start: 6:00 p.m.)