Axel Springer Freedom Foundation and Alliance of Democracies Foundation Join Forces to Present Award for Courage at Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2025
The Axel Springer Freedom Foundation will present its prestigious Award for Courage at the 8th Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which takes place May 13-14, 2025. The summit is hosted by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation.
This collaboration between the two organizations strengthens the global platform for honoring individuals who demonstrate exceptional bravery in their commitment to human rights, democracy, and freedom, often at significant personal risk.
The Award for Courage, now in its third year, continues Axel Springer’s enduring legacy of supporting those who stand against authoritarianism. The Award for Courage is endowed by the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie with 50,000 euros.
In 2022, the inaugural recipient was Russian opposition politician, historian, and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has fought tirelessly for a democratic Russia despite surviving poisoning attempts and imprisonment following his criticism of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
In a joint statement, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, founder of Alliance of Democracies Foundation, and Mathias Döpfner, Chairman of the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation and CEO of Axel Springer SE, emphasized the significance of this partnership:
“Freedom and democracy do not happen by accident. Across much of the free world, we have become astonishingly complacent about standing up for our democratic values, leading to economic dependencies on autocracies and a chronic underinvestment in our armed forces.”
“With this award, we honour those leaders who sacrifice their own freedom and risk their lives daily to stand up for values we in Europe take for granted.”
“The Award for Courage highlights the work of many brave democracy defenders around the world, but it also underlines how much work remains unfinished in our collective fight against the autocrats.”
The winner of the Award for Courage will be announced during a ceremony at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which brings together political leaders, business executives, and democracy advocates from around the world.
“By presenting this award at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, we aim to amplify the voices of those fighting on the frontlines of freedom,” said Antje Schippmann, Co-founder and Managing Director of the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation. “This partnership represents our commitment to building stronger international networks of support for human rights defenders worldwide.”
The Axel Springer Freedom Foundation continues to support dissidents, artists, and media professionals from authoritarian countries through donations, public advocacy, and facilitating connections with decision-makers in civil society, business, and politics.
For more information about the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation and ways to support its mission, please visit freedom.axelspringer.com.
About the Copenhagen Democracy Summit: The Copenhagen Democracy Summit is an annual conference bringing together political and business leaders, including current and former heads of government, from the world’s democracies. The 2025 summit will mark the 8th gathering dedicated to strengthening the bonds among democratic nations and addressing the challenges facing democratic values globally.
About the Alliance of Democracies Foundation: Founded by Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former NATO Secretary General and Prime Minister of Denmark, the Alliance of Democracies Foundation is dedicated to the advancement of democracy and free markets across the globe. Through initiatives like the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, the foundation works to strengthen the bonds between the world’s democratic nations and promote democratic values worldwide.
For more information, please contact: media@allianceofdemocracies.org
Visit the official Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2025 webpage here: Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2025.
