This issue contains 4 sections.
National gay rights prize
The Jos Brink Prize (named after the now deceased actor, cabaret artist and champion of gay rights) is a biennial award presented to a person, group or institution that works or has worked to promote the acceptance of LGBTs. The winner receives an art object and a cash prize of €10,000.
The prize was awarded for the first time in 2009, when Ronald Plasterk (then Minister of Education, Culture and Science) presented it to Henk Krol (founder and editor of the Dutch gay magazine Gay Krant) in recognition of his campaign to open civil marriage to same-sex couples. In 2011 Marja van Bijsterveldt (Minister of Education, Culture and Science) awarded it to the volunteers who work for the lesbian and gay organisation COC throughout the Netherlands.
In 2011 the Minister of Education, Culture and Science also launched a second prize, for an inspiring recent activity to promote the social acceptance of LGBTs. This cash prize of €1,000 went to Ahmed Marcouch for his efforts to change the culture of silence surrounding homosexuality in, for example, the Dutch-Moroccan community.
The next award of the national gay rights prize will take place on 17 May 2013 (International Day against Homophobia) at the Koninklijke Schouwburg (Royal Theatre) in The Hague.
