Prize winner booklet for the Reinhard Mohn Prize 2018

The Reinhard Mohn Prize 2018 "Living Diversity – Shaping Society" went to Joachim Gauck, our former Federal President. The Bertelsmann Stiftung honored his tireless commitment to a society which, thanks to its deeply anchored values, embraces diversity.

He has successfully underscored what makes Germany an open, learning-oriented society while, at the same time, emphasizing the need for all members of society – whether long-time citizens or recent arrivals – to take part, democratically, in shaping the contours of this society. He has also identified the challenges and problems associated with such processes, thereby giving a voice to those who struggle with the changes in Germany underway as a result of immigration. Joachim Gauck’s tireless commitment to a free, cosmopolitan and tolerant society has shaped Germany. He has always promoted understanding between cultures and religions and thus made a name for himself as an engaging bridge-builder in a diverse society.