2026 Max van der Stoel Award

The Jury of the Max van der Stoel Award selected Education for the 21st Century from Serbia as the winner of the 2026 Max van der Stoel Award in recognition of its work to promote tolerance, inclusion and respect for diversity through education.

According to the Jury: "Since 2011, Education for the 21st Century, led by its founder and director, Lidija Županić Šuica, has helped young people in Serbia and across the Western Balkans to understand the complexity of identity in a multicultural society, and how that is reflected in historical narratives and memory. The Belgrade-based organization is dedicated to modernizing education in a way that raises the visibility of national minorities, promotes inclusive historical narratives and supports social cohesion across the region. It builds on connections between different communities and strengthens regional co-operation to address national minority issues. By creating spaces for exchange, collaborative learning and dialogue on shared histories and contemporary social challenges, the organization supports mutual trust among young people, educators and local partners, and thereby contributes towards the resolution of outstanding issues in post-conflict societies." 

The award, organized by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and sponsored by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Netherlands, recognizes extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities across the OSCE countries.