Praemium Erasmianum Foundation

Praemium Erasmianum Foundation is a Dutch organization that aims to promote and reward outstanding contributions in the fields of Social sciences, Humanities, and Arts. The foundation was established in 1958 by Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld and is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the City of Amsterdam. The foundation's activities are also closely linked to the University of Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

● History

The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation was founded in 1958, inspired by the ideas of Desiderius Erasmus, a Renaissance humanist from Rotterdam. The foundation's history is closely tied to the European integration movement, and its establishment was supported by prominent figures such as Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, and Alcide De Gasperi. Over the years, the foundation has developed strong relationships with institutions like the European University Institute, College of Europe, and the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study. The foundation's work is also influenced by the ideas of Karl Jaspers, Hannah Arendt, and Jürgen Habermas.

● Objectives

The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation's primary objective is to promote and reward outstanding contributions in the fields of Social sciences, Humanities, and Arts. The foundation aims to foster critical thinking, Intellectual freedom, and Cultural diversity, as embodied by the ideas of Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and Matthew Arnold. The foundation's work is guided by the principles of Liberalism, Democracy, and Human rights, as reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. The foundation collaborates with organizations like the European Cultural Foundation, Goethe-Institut, and the Institut français to achieve its objectives.

● Erasmus Prize

The Erasmus Prize is the foundation's most prestigious award, presented annually to individuals or institutions that have made significant contributions to the fields of Social sciences, Humanities, and Arts. The prize is named after Desiderius Erasmus and is considered one of the most prominent awards in the European cultural scene. Past winners of the Erasmus Prize include Le Corbusier, Marc Chagall, Ingmar Bergman, and Isaiah Berlin. The prize is often compared to the Nobel Prize and the Balzan Prize, and its winners are selected by a committee that includes prominent figures like Pierre Bourdieu, Umberto Eco, and George Steiner.

● Laureates

The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation has awarded the Erasmus Prize to numerous distinguished individuals and institutions, including Friedrich Hayek, Karl Popper, Habermas, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Other notable laureates include Norbert Elias, Shmuel Eisenstadt, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The foundation's laureates are recognized for their outstanding contributions to Social sciences, Humanities, and Arts, and their work is often associated with institutions like the London School of Economics, University of Oxford, and the Collège de France. The laureates' work is also influenced by the ideas of Max Weber, Émile Durkheim, and Simone de Beauvoir.

● Organisation

The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation is governed by a board of trustees, which includes prominent figures from the Dutch Royal Family, such as Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands. The foundation's daily operations are managed by a secretary-general, who is responsible for coordinating the foundation's activities, including the selection of Erasmus Prize winners. The foundation collaborates with organizations like the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences, and the European Science Foundation to achieve its objectives.

● Activities

The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation organizes various activities, including conferences, seminars, and lectures, to promote and discuss the work of its laureates and other prominent figures in the fields of Social sciences, Humanities, and Arts. The foundation also publishes books and essays on topics related to its objectives, often in collaboration with publishers like Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and Éditions Gallimard. The foundation's activities are often held in cooperation with institutions like the University of Cambridge, University of California, Berkeley, and the Institut d'études politiques de Paris. The foundation's work is also influenced by the ideas of Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, and Slavoj Žižek. Category:Organizations established in 1958