Five distinguished figures receive the Anton Srholec Freedom Award for their contribution to the development of civil society

The Trnava Self-Governing Region conferred the Anton Srholec Freedom Award for the fourth time. The ceremony took place on 1 December 2022 at the Ján Palárik Theatre in Trnava on the occasion of the Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy. Five individuals received the award for their outstanding contribution to the protection of human rights, to strengthening democracy and for their civic courage.

At the presentation, the President of the Trnava Self-Governing Region, Jozef Viskupič, said that honouring courageous people represents “deep respect, gratitude and a commitment” to reflect on our present responsibility and on the world we will leave to future generations.

Ladislav Snopko was the first post-November Minister of Culture and is a long-standing civic activist. Dita Ziss is a native of Trnava, a photographer and a Holocaust survivor. Grigorij Mesežnikov is a political analyst and President of the Institute for Public Affairs.

Awards in memoriam went to Károly Tóth, founder of the Forum Minority Research Institute, and Rudolf Skukálek, poet, playwright and editor at Radio Free Europe.

Each of the laureates represents an exceptional story of determination — whether in democratic transformation, the defence of human rights, cultural development or resistance to authoritarianism.