Foundation honours initiative with “Stephanus Special Prize 2026”

The Stephanus Foundation for Persecuted Christians is honouring the organisers of the “Chain of Lights for Persecuted Christians” with the 2026 Stephanus Special Prize. The foundation stated that the prize recognises the authentic compassion and impressive perseverance that characterise the initiators. The annual demonstration, held in November in downtown Hamburg, is organised by a coalition of the following local groups: the Hamburg working group of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), “Together for Hamburg” of the Hamburg Evangelical Alliance, and the Working Group of Christian Churches in Hamburg, particularly the Oriental Orthodox Churches. The organisers, whose collaboration began in 2011, appeal to the heads of state in countries where the right to religious freedom is severely restricted, drawing attention to dramatic individual cases. The award was presented on April 11, 2026 (Saturday) at 7 p.m., following the official part of the ISHR annual meeting in a ceremony at the Gustav Stresemann Institute in Bonn.