Science and Knowledge Day festivities on September 1st at the Mykolas Romeris university (MRU) included the announcement and reward of the winners of the 2025 Dr. Karl A. Lamers Peace Prize Contest.

First Prize and 1000 Euros went to Hayrünnisa Çelik, a student with MRU’s Law School’s bachelor study program “Law and Global Security”. Second prize and 600 Euros is won by Kristupas Gaidamavičius, a student of bachelor program “Psychology”, Institute of Psichology, Faculty of Human and Social Studies. Third Prize and 400 Euros awarded to Danas Stasiūnas, a student with bachelor study program “Communication and Digital Marketing”, Institute of Communication, Faculty of Human and Social studies. The winner Hayrünnisa Çelik  is a returning participant – last year she won the third prize.

Peace Prize certificates to the winners were presented personally by Prof. h.c. Dr. Karl A. Lamers, former member of the German Bundestag, and Prof. Dr. Inga Žalėnienė, Rector of the MRU.

In the congratulatory speech Karl A. Lamers praised Lithuania's, Latvia's and Estonia's unwavering support for Ukraine and commended deployment of German brigade in Lithuania. He said: "Your security is our security". 

In 2018 Karl A. Lamers initiated the Peace Foundation that carries his name. The Foundation sponsors contests of university student essays in English on security and defence issues in different EU countries. In Lithuania the contest takes place at the MRU for the seventh year in a row. The topic of the contest this year was “Can NATO survive as transatlantic ties hang in the balance and what can Europeans do about it?”

Karl A. Lamers is an influential German politician, a former veteran member of the Bundestag and of the Defence Committee of the Bundestag, former President of the NATO parliamentary assembly. He maintains regular ties with major Lithuanian politicians, who are engaged in security and defence policy making.

Also, he is a long-time MRU partner, doctor honoris causa and professor honoris cause of the MRU. Every spring he is coming to MRU to take part in Dr Lamers NATO Hearings public discussion as a key-note speaker.

Compiled by Prof. Dr. Virgis Valentinavičius, coordinator for Karl A. Lamers Peace Prize Contest, Communication Institute