Science and Knowledge Day festivities on September 1st at the Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) included the announcement and reward of the winners of the 2026 Dr. Karl A. Lamers Peace Prize Contest. First Prize and 1000 Euros went to Kristupas Gaidamavičius, a student of bachelor program “Psychology”, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Human and Social Studies.
Second Prize and 600 Euros awarded to Anna Mashanienkova, a student of master study program “Public relations management”, Institute of Communication, Faculty of Human and Social studies. Two other students of the same programme – Elnur Imanbayli and Muhabbad Ahmadov – have won a shared third place and 400 Euros each. The winner K. Gaidamavičius is a returning participant: last year he won the second 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 MRU’s achievement in study and science, and congratulated on the substantial increase of enrolment this year. He also reflected on the situation of global security which is largely determined by the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine and by the multiplying instances of Russian hybrid attack elsewhere in Europe, including against Baltic states and Germany. He said: “Today we can no longer explicitly exclude the possibility of the war with Russia.”
In 2018 Karl A. Lamers initiated the Peace Foundation that carries his name. The Foundation sponsors various projects that are encouraging young people to take interest in security and defence issues. Lamers Peace Prize at the MRU is taking place eight year in a row. The topic of the contest this year was: “With the Alliance's US pillar in doubt, is strengthening of the European pillar possible and what Europeans must and can do about that?”.
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.
Karl A. Lamers is a long-time friend of the MRU, doctor honoris causa and professor honoris cause of the MRU. Every spring, barring pandemic lockdown, 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
