The head of state, Maia Sandu, becomes laureate of the Reinhard Mohn Prize 2025, awarded by the Bertelsmann Foundation every two years. She will receive the distinction “for her exemplary commitment to the defense and promotion of democracy.” The presidential administration stated it.
The prize includes €100,000. Sandu decided to donate the money, and a large part of the funds will support development projects in the head of state’s home village of Risipeni in the Falesti district.
“This award is a recognition of the courage of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, who have demonstrated that they want a genuine democracy and fought for it. It validates our shared pursuit of freedom, fairness, and a society rooted in European values. Moldova has shown that democracy can endure even in the most difficult circumstances,” Maia Sandu said.
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The Reinhard Mohn Prize recognizes individuals who contribute to solving contemporary social and political challenges. Previous recipients have been former German leader Joachim Gauck, former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former Bundestag President Rita Süssmuth, and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.