The Hrant Dink Foundation has received the Mülkiye Grand Prize awarded by the Mülkiyeliler Union. On December 4, 2023, Sibel Asna, member of the board of directors of the Hrant Dink Foundation, received the award on behalf of the Foundation at the ceremony held in Ankara.

This year's Mülkiye Grand Prize was awarded to the Hrant Dink Foundation for its effective implementation of Hrant Dink's legacy in a very short period of time, its continued struggle as a non-governmental organization, its work against discrimination and hate speech, and its activities in the fields of cultural heritage, memory studies, and minority rights.

Receiving the award on behalf of the foundation, board member Sibel Asna said: "This award and this letter have been a source of great happiness for us. A person is responsible for his/her words. This letter is, in a sense, a commitment of the Mülkiyeliler Union, through Hrant Dink, which reveals the Union's view against marginalization, superiority and discrimination. This is a letter is one that understands and explains Hrant Dink's stance and his view on life, his country and humanity. We wish for the Mülkiyeliler Union to be the pioneer and defender of a culture that spreads this understanding and does not refrain from applying it under all circumstances. We are honored and particularly happy and confident that they have understood the foundation which continues on Hrant Dink's path "

The Mülkiyeliler Union explained the reason for presenting the 2023 award to the Hrant Dink Foundation with the following words:

"It is the joint decision of the Boards of Directors of the Mülkiyeliler Union Association and the Mülkiyeliler Union Foundation to grant this award to the Hrant Dink Foundation for realising Hrant Dink's legacy in a very short time and in an effective manner, for continuing the struggle for human and minority rights in a civil society which is shrinking and coming under increasing pressure by the day,
for casting a light on Hrant Dink's life, the story of the Agos Newspaper as well as the process leading up to and after the assasination and keeping our memory alive,
in the face of increasing polarization among communities, for opening channels of dialogue between the people of Turkey and Armenia, particularly by reaching out to young people, and supporting academic studies on this issue, for protecting, recording and promoting the cultural heritage of all communities living in Turkey, and supporting academic studies on minority rights through the BOLIS Institute, for actively contributing to the fight against discrimination and hate speech by monitoring hate speech in the media through the ASULIS Language, Dialogue and Democracy Lab and continuing its work on equal citizenship, for supporting a pluralistic and inclusive arts and culture.

Click here for information on previous laureates.