Between 1979 and 2003, the Max Schmidheiny Foundation awarded the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize to persons or institutions from the world over who have rendered exceptional services to the preservation and further development of a free social and economic order.
In accordance with its aims, the foundation has therefore fostered exceptional scientific, political and entrepreneurial initiatives and services that are dedicated to the preservation of individual freedom and responsibility.
The tradition of presenting a prize at the St. Gallen Symposium at the University St.Gallen highlighted the close ties between the founder and the University, and also the International Students’ Committee (ISC) St. Gallen – ties that live on to the current day.
Awardee of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 2003:
Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardee of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 2002:
Prof. Dr. Ruud Lubbers, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 2001:
Lennart Meri, President of the Republic of Estonia (CV on Wikipedia)
N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman and CEO, Infosys Technologies (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1998:
Prof. Jagdish Bhagwati, Arthur Lehman Professor of Economics and Political Science, Columbia University (CV on Wikipedia)
Sir Leon Brittan QC, Vice-President of the Commission of the European Union, Brussels (CV on Wikipedia)
José Maria Figueres Olsen, President of Costa Rica, San José (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1997:
Rosmarie und Emanuel Berger, Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau, Interlaken
Andreas Rihs und Beda Diethelm, Phonak AG, Stäfa (Entry in Wikipedia)
Moritz Suter, Crossair, Basel (Entry in Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1996:
Sir Roger Douglas, former Minister of Finance, Aukland (CV on Wikipedia)
Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, President of Lego, Billund (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1995:
Dr. Anibal Cavaco Silva, Prime Minister of Portugal, Lisbon (CV on Wikipedia)
Hernando de Soto, Director, Institute of Liberty and Democracy, Lima (CV on Wikipedia)
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, President, Grameen Bank, Dhaka (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1994:
Birgit Breuel, Chief Executive Officer, Treuhandanstalt, Berlin (CV on Wikipedia)
Mary Robinson, President of Ireland, Dublin (CV on Wikipedia)
Dr. Hannah Suchocka, Member of Parliament, former Prime Minister of Poland, Warsaw (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1993:
Nicolas Hayek, entrepreneur, Zürich (CV on Wikipedia)
Prof. Hermann Lübbe, philosopher and essayist, Zürich (CV on Wikipedia)
Dr. Beat Richner, pediatrician and humanitarian, Zürich and Pnom Penh (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1992:
Dr. Carlos Salinas de Gortari, President of Mexico, Mexico City (CV on Wikipedia)
Dr. Vaclav Klaus, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Czech Republic, Prague (CV in Wikipedia) (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1991:
The International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva (Entry in Wikipedia)
Liberales Institut, Zürich (Entry in Wikipedia)
Edmond de Stoutz, founder and conductor of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra (Entry in Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1990:
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Munich (Entry in Wikipedia)
Prof. Henri Rieben, Chairman, Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe, Lausanne (Entry in Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1987:
Lane Kirkland, President of the American Federation of Labor Unions AFL-CIO, Washington D.C. (CV on Wikipedia)
Prof. Hans Letsch, Business executive, politician and economist, Aarau (CV on Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1986:
The Association "Médecins sans frontières", Paris and Geneva (Wikipedia)
Gerd Bacher, Director of the Austrian Radio and Television ORF, Vienna (Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1985:
Dr. Fred Luchsinger, former Editor of the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung", Forch (Wikipedia)
Raymond and Jean-Daniel Cornaz, Chairman and Managing Director of Vetropack, Bülach (Website)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1984:
Dr. Paul R. Jolles, former State Secretary for Foreign Trade, Berne (Wikipedia)
Dr. Dres h.c. Fritz Leutwiler, former President of the Swiss National Bank, Zurich (Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1983:
Prof. Dr. h.c. Hans L. Merkle, industrialist, Chairman R. Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (Wikipedia)
Stefan Kisielewski, author, composer and publicist, Warsaw (Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardee of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1982:
The International and Swiss Girls and Boys Scouts' Movements (Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1981:
Indro Montanelli, Editor of "Il Giornale Nuovo", Milan (Wikipedia)
The Rev. Karl Rohrbach, initiator of development projects in Togo, Widnau and Avedje
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1980:
Dr. h.c. Gaston Thorn, President of the Commission of the European Communities (Wikipedia)
Prof. Dr. Jeanne Hersch, philosopher and author, Geneva (Wikipedia)
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
Awardees of the Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize 1979:
Robert Moss, Journalist, London (Wikipedia)
Prof. Dr. Hugo Sieber, economist, Berne
(The position indicated corresponds to the position held in the year of the awarding of the Freedom Prize.)
