Paul van Dyk gets Medal Of Honour
October 04, 2006
Paul van Dyk, the globally acclaimed dance star, was awarded a medal of honour (Landesverdienstorden) in a ceremony in Berlin by the city?s reigning mayor, Klaus Wowereit, in recognition of his service to the state. The state of Berlin wanted to honour him not only for the outstanding contribution this 34-year-old has made to the capital of Germany, but also for his commitment to social issues.
In a ceremony that took place last Sunday, 1st of October, in the Berlin city hall, Paul was the recipient of one of the most respected distinctions awarded by Berlin, the Landesverdienstorden, for outstanding service to the state. This medal is traditionally awarded on October 1 to public figures who have distinguished themselves through unique accomplishments and great dedication. Hildegard Knef, Franziska van Almsick, the architect Paul Kleihus and the patron of the arts and entrepreneur, Peter Dussmann, have been some of the most famous recipients over the last few years. Because there may be no more than 400 living award holders, the Landesverdienstorden is held in particularly high regard. This year, other than Paul van Dyk, recipients included Dr. Klaus Sch?tz, Dr. Klaus-Dieter Lehmann, Hany Azer and Robert Bartko.
“This award is considerably more prestigious than the other prizes and awards I have won to date,” said Paul van Dyk today in Berlin. “It stands for something that is most important to me other than my work as a DJ and producer: encouraging young people and improving their opportunities for the future. Because this is not something that just happens on its own, I would like to pass along this honor and dedicate the award to the Berlin organization “R?ckenwind” which is dedicated to children’s education. Together with this organisation, we can give children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds a better future.?
Born December 16, 1971 in Eisenh?ttenstadt, Paul van Dyk lives in Berlin, the city where he first began his career as a DJ at the Tresor club more than 15 years ago. He was one of the first DJs to be nominated as a producer for a GRAMMY? and today is considered one of the best DJs and producers in the world, in part evidenced by the fact that fans voted him the “best DJ in the world” last year in the international “DJ MAG TOP 100″ (DJ magazine) poll, 2005.
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