On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, December 3, a meeting of the Board of Trustees, the Organizing Committee and the Jury of the “International Philanthropist Prize for Outstanding Achievements of Persons with Disabilities in the Field of Culture and Art” was held at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The meeting was chaired by the President of the Chamber, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Philanthropist Prize Sergey Katyrin.

The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Prize Organizing Committee, Chairman of the All-Russian Society of Disabled People, State Duma Deputy Mikhail Terentyev, Chairman of the Prize Jury, President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli, founder of the Philanthropist Foundation Gennady Anichkin.

The meeting summed up the results of the XI competition for laureates of the Philanthropist Prize and launched a new competition, which will end on August 17, 2023, on the day of the 35th anniversary of the All-Russian Society of Disabled People. According to Sergei Katyrin, the date for summing up the results of the new competition was not chosen by chance: the All-Russian Society of Disabled People is one of the largest public organizations that has done a lot for people with disabilities.

The award ceremony of the laureates of the XI stage of the competition took place on May 27, 2021 at the MIA “Russia Today”. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the date had to be shifted - previously, the final of the award was held in even years. At the same time, some innovations were approved at a meeting at the Chamber. Thus, new members were added to the Board of Trustees and the Jury. Among them are the editor-in-chief of the publishing house “Argumenty i Fakty” Igor Chernyak, rector of the Institute of Contemporary Art Irina Sukholet, head of the representative office in Moscow of the Taipei-Moscow Coordination Commission for Economic and Cultural Cooperation Ken Zhong Yun, theater, film and stage actor Oleg Akulich.

An important point - the award has a new nomination "Philanthropists and Patrons". It will be awarded to business representatives for providing charitable and sponsorship assistance to people with disabilities and public organizations. The nomination has no monetary reward.

The form for accepting applications for participation in the competition has also changed. The emphasis will be on accepting applications electronically. This will allow the jury members to more objectively evaluate the creative works of the award nominees.

It is important, noted Gennady Anichkin, that in 2023 the amount of monetary remuneration to the laureates will increase, noted Gennady Anichkin. Last time the winners received 75 thousand rubles for the first place, 50 thousand for the second, and 35 thousand rubles for a special prize.

The Philanthropist Prize is awarded to people with disabilities for excellence in culture and the arts. The history of the project began in 1996, when the birth of the world's first international award for people with disabilities was announced at the forum of the Russian Youth Chamber. On May 27, 2000, the first presentation ceremony took place at the Novaya Opera Theater. In just two decades, more than 10 thousand people with disabilities from 36 countries of the world and Russia took part in the competition for the Prize, 470 applicants became its laureates.

Press Service of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry