Berner Communication Award to Hans Zurbrügg

Whether sports, culture or politics: what happens in Bern rarely attracts attention in the rest of the world. One exception is the International Jazz Festival, which Hans Zurbrügg has presided over as founder and president since 1976. "For decades, Hans Zurbrügg and his festival have been playing in the Champions League and carrying the name of the city of Bern all over the world," said BPRG President Cla Martin Caflisch during the award ceremony. Thanks to his work and his contacts, Bern becomes the European jazz capital for ten weeks every year.
With its presence - also in international media - the International Jazz Festival achieves a very wide reach. The BPRG is also impressed by the many years of continuity and the great passion that characterize Hans Zurbrügg's work. "Anyone who establishes such an event, develops it further and even makes it a trademark of the city of Berne is also a gifted communicator," says BPRG President Cla Martin Caflisch, explaining the choice. Time and again, Hans Zurbrügg manages to attract not only stars from all over the world, but also an international audience to Bern.

Every year, the BPRG awards the Communication Prize to a person who has achieved exceptional communicative achievements without the corresponding professional training. The prize winner receives a specially created work by Bernese artist Kornel Stadler and demonstrates his or her communication skills in a talk with Ueli Schmezer. This year's award ceremony will take place at the original venue of the Bern International Jazz Festival, Marians Jazzroom. For the first time, members of the Werbeclub Bern and the Berner Medien- tag will be present as guests.

Previous award winners

2011 Steff la Cheffe, beatboxer and rapper
2012 Bernd Schildger, Zoo Director
2013 Francis Foss Pauchard, Olmo founder