Benjamin Prize

The Benjamin Prize was established as a Norwegian prize to counter racism in 2002. The prize is awarded in memory of Benjamin Hermansen, who at the age of 15 years, was murdered in Holmlia, Søndre Nordstrand in Oslo, Norway. The death was racially motivated.^[1]

The prize is awarded each year on 27 January in conjunction with the commemoration of the Holocaust. On this date Soviet forces liberated Nazi concentration camps in Auschwitz and Birkenau. The prize is awarded to a school that actively works against racism and discrimination.

The work for which the award is given is to be characterized by:

Anchoring: The school's work against racism and discrimination represent a long-term commitment.
Involvement: The school's work against racism and discrimination involves faculty and students at the school.
Highlighting: The school's work against racism and discrimination is visible both in the school and in the broader community.

The prize consists of 250,000 kroner, and a miniature bust of Benjamin Hermansen, created by Ivar Sjaastad. The original bust is placed at Holmlia.

The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training awards the prize. The jury which determines the recipient consisted of Marit Hermansen (Benjamin’s mother) until her death in 2019. Since, it is representrd by members from the Antiracism Center, the Sami Parliament of Norway, Union of Education Norway, School Student Union of Norway,^[2] Parents Committee for Primary and Lower Secondary Education,^[3] and the Norwegian Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities.

Winners

2002 — Sunndal Upper Secondary School in Sunndalsøra in Sunndal Municipality
2003 — Fjell School in Drammen in Drammen Municipality
2004 — Ila School in Trondheim in Trondheim Municipality
2005 — Gommerud School in Rykkinn in Bærum Municipality
2006 — Mandal Upper Secondary School in Mandal in Mandal Municipality
2007 — Skotselv School in Skotselv in Øvre Eiker Municipality
2008 — Sogn Upper Secondary School in Nordre Aker in Oslo Municipality
2009 — Skullerud School in Skullerud in Oslo Municipality
2010 — Hagaløkka School in Asker in Asker Municipality
2011 — Karuss School in Kristiansand in Kristiansand Municipality
2012 — Greveskogen Upper Secondary School in Tønsberg in Tønsberg Municipality
2013 — Brandengen Upper Secondary School in Drammen in Drammen Municipality
2014 — Uranienborg School in Briskeby in Oslo Municipality
2015 — Sjøvegan Upper Secondary School in Sjøvegan in Salangen Municipality
2016 — Løkenåsen School in Skårer in Lørenskog Municipality
2017 — Høyland School in Sandnes in Sandnes Municipality
2018 — Kuben Upper Secondary School in Oslo Municipality
2019 — Alvimhaugen School in Sarpsborg in Sarpsborg Municipality
2020 — Glemmen Upper Secondary School in Glemmen in Fredrikstad Municipality
2021 – Sofienberg School in Sofienberg in Oslo Municipality

References

^ This article was translated at request from the Norwegian Wikipedia article on this subject (retrieved 11 October 2008). See the interwiki link for the material in the original in Norwegian.
^ The Union of Education Norway is Norway's largest trade union for teaching personnel with more than 140,000 members. Archived December 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^ A Norwegian representative organization of parents with children in primary school which serves as an advisory body for the Ministry in matters related to cooperation between home and school.

External links

Benjaminprisen (in Norwegian) at Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training.

[1] This article was translated at request from the Norwegian Wikipedia article on this subject (retrieved 11 October 2008). See the interwiki link for the material in the original in Norwegian.

[2] The Union of Education Norway is Norway's largest trade union for teaching personnel with more than 140,000 members. Archived December 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

[3] A Norwegian representative organization of parents with children in primary school which serves as an advisory body for the Ministry in matters related to cooperation between home and school.

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