Since 2014 the New Israel Fund has awarded the Dror Prize to people or organizations that promote social change in Israel. The prize was established following the death of prominent advertising entrepreneur Dror Sternschuss who was a committed member of the peace, social justice and media communities in Israel and who died of cancer at age 52.
This year, NIF has announced the winners of the Dror Prize for Social Change for 2020 as: The Arab Center for Alternative Planning as well as organizations protesting government corruption including En Mazav IL Community, Crime Minister and the Black Flags Movement. A special award is also being given to independent media channel DemocratTV, an initiative of Darkenu.
The Dror Prize Committee said, “The Arab Center for Alternative Planning has led a coalition to encourage voting and civic participation in Arab society, which in the last elections saw the highest voter turnout in the past 20 years. This coalition succeeded in providing a profound response that directly promoted the democratic values rooted in civil participation and realizing political rights.”
Regarding the anti-corruption and pro-democracy protest movements, the Committee said, “These organizations have brought tens of thousands of Israelis from all backgrounds onto the streets to demonstrate against the corruption in government, some of whom are prepared to pay a heavy personal price for the struggle for democracy.”