The Sonning Prize () is a Danish culture prize awarded biennially for outstanding contributions to European culture. It is named after the Danish editor and author Carl Johan Sonning (1879–1937), who established the prize by his will.

A prize was first awarded in 1950 to Winston Churchill. However, a sequence of annual awards in this name was established in 1959 with the award to Albert Schweitzer followed by Bertrand Russell in 1960, the criterion being someone who "has accomplished meritorious work for the advancement of European civilization", and judged by a committee of the Senate of the University of Copenhagen. From 1971, it was awarded every second year.

Prize winners are chosen by a committee chaired by the rector of the University of Copenhagen which decides on laureates from a selection of candidates proposed by European universities. The prize amounts to DKK 1 million (~€135,000) and the award ceremony is always held on or around 19 April (Sonning's birthday) in Copenhagen.

Sonning Prize laureates Source: YearRecipientLifespanOccupationCountry19501874–1965Author and statesman19591875–1965Philosopher and physician19601872–1970Philosopher19611885–1962Physicist19621898–1976Architect19631886–1968Theologian19641910–1969Theologian and humanitarian19651894–1972Author and statesman19661907–1989Actor19671900–1985Theologian19681905–1983Author19691902–1998Author19701897–1976Author19711924–1997Author and social activist19731902–1994Philosopher19751906–1975Author and politologist19771912–2009Philosopher19791919–1986Philanthropist19811926–2016Playwright19831908–1986Author19851900–1991Author19871929–2026Sociologist and philosopher19891918–2007Film and theatre director19911936–2011Author and statesman19941941–1996Film director19961927–2015Author19981918–2008Architect2000b. 1936Author and theatre director2002b. 1944Politician2004b. 1952Video and installation artist20061929–2019Philosopher2008b. 1937Architect20101929–2022Author2012b. 1952Author2014b. 1942Film director2018b. 1956Film director2021b. 1948Author and dissident2023b. 1946Performance artist2025b. 1946Physical chemist

See also

List of awards for contributions to culture List of European art awards Léonie Sonning Music Prize

References

External links Sonning Prize at the University of Copenhagen