The German Publishers and Booksellers Association is honouring a sensitive observer, intelligent author and outstanding personality. During her many trips to trouble spots around the world, Carolin Emcke has always focused on people and contributed passionately time and again to the debate in Germany by conveying her own experiences. With her weekly columns, she puts issues under the spotlight and even in difficult times champions a modern and enlightened society in which tolerance and diversity are more than just words. I sincerely congratulate Carolin Emcke on this award.