The jury members for the Issue Award 2024 have been announced! The issue award is an annual prize for an organization or person that has succeeded in getting an issue on the social and political agenda.  

The judges 

Each year the jury consists of six members, each with a unique background and expertise. In the coming weeks they will hold extensive discussions to determine the winner of the 2024 Issue Award. The jury welcomes two new jury members this year. This year's jury consists of: 

• The jury chairman: Joris Backer, member of the D66 faction in the Senate until June 2023  
• Omar Kbiri, co-founder of production agency Maak Amsterdam and organizer of the VEED Awards 
• Mark Monsma, director of the Collaborating Health Funds (SGF) and the Healthy Generation and previously also of the Dutch Smoke Free Alliance 
• Jasper Mulder, journalist at Ad formation, specialized in communication and PR 
• Quirine de Weerd, Head of Corporate Communications & CSR at Lidl Netherlands 
• Marysha Molthoff, Head of Communications at the Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) 

This year, the jury members will once again be looking for the issue that had the most impact: “A winning initiative has ended up on both the social and political agendas through the media and has led to (behavioral) change. Preferably in a way that is original, with a perspective for action, focused on solutions,” said jury chairman Joris Backer. 

The jury attaches importance to the way in which an issue is put on the agenda and the courage that comes with it. Marysha Molthoff: “Actually putting an issue on the map requires courage! Courage to do something and dare to be at the forefront. These people are not only very important to those or the cause they stand up for. They are also an inspiration to many around them. I believe that this is crucial for a healthy society and I have enormous admiration for the people who stick their neck out.” 

What distinguishes the winning issue is the position it occupies in society: “I have the feeling that it can no longer be about local issues alone. I want to see that the Netherlands is aware of its place on the planet and the opportunities that our privileged position on earth offers us. We must listen to those who need help more than we do,” Omar Kbiri. 

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The Issue Award 

Issuemakers present the Issue Award every year to an initiative or organization that has committed itself to an issue in the past year and has put it on the agenda in a striking or effective way among the general public or in politics. Previous winners of this prize were Maryam Hassouni for her personal story about transgression in the television world, Eva González Pérez for her commitment to the benefits affair in 2021, Organization Black Lives Matter NL for the Dam Protest on June 1, 2020 and Tim Hofman for the #BOOS documentary 'Back to your own country' in 2018. 

The jury members will soon consult with each other to discuss and select the most important issues of the past year. They will determine the final nominees and the winner of the Issue Award 2024 will be announced on Thursday, January 25. 

More information can be found at www.issueaward.nl