The question of how social justice can be promoted and achieved for the individual in a society characterizes the thinking of the economic philosopher Amartya Sen, who was honored with the Peace Prize on October 18, 2020 in Frankfurt's Paulskirche. The laudation of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was read by actor Burghart Klaußner.

The Brazilian Peace Prize winner of 2019, Sebastião Salgado: A visual artist who calls for social justice and peace with his photographs and gives urgency to the worldwide debate on nature and climate protection.

Max Tau was forced to flee Germany in 1938. But in his Norwegian exile he stands up for reconciliation and peace, also with the idea to found a peace library. He was the first to receive the Peace Prize in 1950.

In front of the ruins of the Frankfurt Römer: Albert Schweitzer, 1951 award winner and living in Lambarene (Africa), has always refused to be ingratiated with the Nazis. After the war, in the hope that humanity would create a world-affirming culture, he advocates a unilateral disarmament of the West.

1995 the Orientalist Annemarie Schimmel receives the Peace Prize. In the run-up to the award, there are protests because her statements about the fatwa against Salman Rushdie are misunderstood. While German President Roman Herzog warns against prejudices of any kind in the Paulskirche, there is a demonstration outside.