German Chancellor Angela Merkel, first-ever recipient of the International Gender Equality Prize introduced by the Finnish Government, is to be honoured at an award ceremony in Tampere on Tuesday, according to an official press release.

An international expert panel on violence against women will be held in observance of the cere-mony.

The cause chosen by Chancellor Merkel to be granted the EUR 150,000 prize will also be an-nounced during the event. A representative of Chancellor Merkel will be present on the occasion.

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Chair of the Tampere City Council, will host the award ceremony.

The panel discussion will be opened with a few remarks by Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Annika Saarikko. The members of the panel are Jeannette Bougrab, Director of Institut français de Finlande; Katja Iversen, President/CEO of Women Deliver; Dean Peacock, Co-Executive Director of Sonke Gender Justice; and Katja Pehrman, Senior Adviser at UN Women.

Prime Minister Sipilä announced the recipient of the prize on 14 December in Brussels. The prize was awarded to Chancellor Merkel whose life work has made her one of the world’s most influ-ential people and an example to many women and girls.