Culture & Arts: Tiro Association for Arts Nominated for the Paweł Adamowicz Award — Honoring Courage and Solidarity
The association “Tiro Association for Arts” has been selected to represent Lebanon among the five final nominees for the Paweł Adamowicz Award, granted by the European Committee of the Regions in recognition of courage, solidarity, and the promotion of the values of democracy and openness.
“Tiro for the Arts” was nominated in appreciation of its pioneering role in opening cultural spaces to everyone, organizing training workshops and festivals that enshrined the principle that “art is a right for all,” as well as for its humanitarian role during the war, when it transformed the Lebanese National Theatre in Tyre, Beirut, and Tripoli into shelters for displaced people—turning theatres into safe havens, not merely artistic venues. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on 13 January 2026 at the headquarters of the European Committee of the Regions in Belgium.
The Paweł Adamowicz Award stands as a beacon of hope for all elected representatives, officials, and citizens who work to make democracy a lived practice at the local level by supporting more cohesive and just communities.
The award was established to honor the memory of Paweł Adamowicz, the mayor of the Polish city of Gdańsk, who was tragically assassinated in 2019. It is presented to individuals and initiatives that demonstrate exceptional courage and commitment to the values of freedom, equality, and democracy within their communities. It honors those who build bridges instead of walls, defend civil liberties, stand by the most vulnerable, and act courageously for future generations, paving the way for more just and equitable societal change.
The award aims to spotlight initiatives that do not hesitate to engage in urgent struggles in defense of human rights—locally, nationally, or internationally—and that place human values at the heart of their daily practices, even under the most difficult circumstances.
Paweł Adamowicz was a member of the European Committee of the Regions from 2011 onward and dedicated his efforts to strengthening solidarity, integrating migrants and minorities, supporting dialogue with civil society, and entrenching fundamental rights on the ground. He was first elected mayor of Gdańsk in 1998 and remained in office until his assassination on 13 January 2019. Throughout his career, he was committed to representing groups whose voices are often marginalized and defended diversity as a source of enrichment for open societies.
In 2017, he brought the city of Gdańsk into the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN), reaffirming his commitment to protecting freedom of expression and supporting threatened creatives. The establishment of this award honors all those who confront intolerance, extremism, and hate speech, and who work with integrity and courage for equal opportunities, social inclusion, and fundamental rights. Today, the Paweł Adamowicz Award represents a clear message of solidarity and a renewed sign of hope for all who continue to work toward more humane and open societies, inspired by the legacy of a man who paid with his life for his principles and values.
Lebanese National Theatre
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCwF_NhNsCc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfM2FHi0oIo