The German Children and Youth Prize 2024 was awarded at Europa-Park in Rust. This prize, with a total endowment of €30,000, is the highest national award for children’s and youth participation. It honors projects where young people are actively involved in shaping their communities. The winning projects came from various regions of Germany, showcasing the diversity and creativity of youth involvement.
Award Ceremony in Europa-Park: A Strong Statement of Commitment
This year’s award ceremony for the German Children and Youth Prize was once again held at Europa-Park. As a partner of the German Children’s Fund (Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk), the theme park plays a key role in supporting this significant event. The prize recognizes projects that exemplify how children and young people can take responsibility and actively contribute to improving their surroundings. A total of €30,000 in prize money was distributed across various categories to encourage continued youth engagement.
Miriam Mack, ambassador of the German Children’s Fund, played a central role in the award ceremony. She emphasized that the projects stand out not only for their creativity and innovation, but also for the high level of involvement by the young participants themselves. “These young people make a valuable contribution to our society,” Mack said, “and it’s an honor for us to recognize their efforts through this special event.”
Winning Projects: Creative Solutions to Social Challenges
One of this year’s winners is the Berlin-based project “PEOPLE – a fashion label for children and young people facing existential threats.” This initiative, organized by KARUNA e.V., allows disadvantaged youths to design clothing collections. These young people, many of whom are at risk of homelessness, struggle with addiction, or suffer from mental health issues, find not only a creative outlet through the project but also stability and support. The project aims to help these youths improve their life circumstances and develop long-term prospects. It also fosters cultural education by connecting the participants with social workers and the fashion industry.
Another winning project is the Idea Conference in Mittelherwigsdorf (Saxony). Each year, around World Children's Day, approximately 50 children come together to democratically discuss and develop proposals for the development of their community. This initiative strengthens the sense of community and gives young people the opportunity to shape their future actively. The event is organized by the MITMACHherwigsdorf initiative, which promotes children’s participation in local decision-making processes through activities such as town rallies and collaborative discussions.
The third prize-winning project, “I’ll Show You How to Save Lives” from Wittmund (Lower Saxony), focuses on first aid workshops led by students for children, senior citizens, and others in the community. In these workshops, realistic accident scenarios are staged to teach participants how to respond in emergencies. The project brings together youths from various social backgrounds and builds their confidence and sense of responsibility. The workshops are inclusive, involving students aged 11 to 17, some with refugee backgrounds or disabilities.
Honorable Mentions and the Europa-Park JUNIOR CLUB Award
In addition to the main prizes, honorable mentions were awarded to projects from Lenzkirch (Baden-Württemberg), Lübeck (Schleswig-Holstein), and Torgelow (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). Each of these projects received €3,000 in recognition of their outstanding contributions to youth participation. Special attention was given to the project “Jugendklub to Go!” from Torgelow, which won the Europa-Park JUNIOR CLUB Award. This innovative project brings cultural and recreational activities directly to rural communities, allowing children and youths to participate in various events despite their remote locations.
Categories and Prize Money
The German Children and Youth Prize 2024 was awarded in three categories: “Solidarity in the Community,” “Political Engagement,” and “Children and Youth Culture.” In each category, a winning project was awarded €6,000. Honorable mentions in each category received €3,000. Additionally, the audience award, the Europa-Park JUNIOR CLUB Award, was also endowed with €3,000.
The jury faced the challenging task of selecting the best projects from a wide array of high-quality submissions. As Prof. Dr. Siegfried Barth, a member of the board of the German Children’s Fund, pointed out, all the finalists demonstrated extraordinary persistence and creativity in realizing their projects. “The decision was difficult, but the winning projects stood out due to their clear focus and the high level of youth participation,” Barth remarked.
Support from Prominent Personalities
The event was supported by several prominent guests, including Miriam Mack, who played a key role as an ambassador for the German Children’s Fund. Mack highlighted that the projects reflect the core values of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by involving young people and giving them the opportunity to act autonomously. She also praised the award ceremony’s program at Europa-Park, which provided a memorable experience for the young winners.
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