The Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold is named after the German nuclear chemist and 1944 Nobel Laureate Otto Hahn, an honorary citizen of Berlin. The medal is in memory of his worldwide involvement in the politics of peace and humanitarian causes, in particular since the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 by the United States Army Air Forces. It was established by his grandson Dietrich Hahn in 1988 and is awarded by the United Nations Association of Germany (Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen, DGVN, Berlin-Brandenburg) to persons or institutions that have rendered "outstanding services to peace and international understanding". By tradition, the gold medal, together with a leather-bound diploma inlaid in gold, is presented in Berlin at a biennial ceremony on 17 December by the Governing Mayor of Berlin and the President of the DGVN. On 17 December 1938, in Berlin-Dahlem, Otto Hahn and his assistant Fritz Strassmann had discovered a new reaction in uranium (which exiled Lise Meitner and her nephew Otto Frisch two weeks later correctly interpreted as "nuclear fission") thus laying the scientific and technical foundations of nuclear energy. This 17 December 1938 therefore marks the beginning of the Atomic age, which from the scientific, political, economic, social and philosophical point of view has fundamentally changed the world. Previous prizewinners Source: 2018 John Forbes Kerry – 68th United States Secretary of State, Boston, "for his exceptional diplomatic achievements." 2016 Melinda Gates – American business woman, philanthropist and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, "for outstanding contributions to peace and understanding among nations, especially regarding her admirable philanthropic initiatives that prepare the ground for millions of people in all continents for a humane life." 2014 Manfred Nowak – Austrian University teacher and international law and human rights expert, Vienna, "for outstanding services to peace and international understanding, especially for his tireless efforts to protect the rights of each individual and the courageous publication of cruel abuses." 2012 Tadatoshi Akiba – Japanese mathematician, politician, former mayor of Hiroshima and co-founder of the Mayors for Peace Organization, Hiroshima, "for outstanding services to peace and international understanding, especially his untiring dedication to worldwide nuclear disarmament and the policy of détente and reconciliation." 2010 Daniel Barenboim – Argentine-Israeli pianist, conductor and UN Messenger of Peace, Berlin, "for outstanding services to peace and international understanding, especially his exemplary commitment to the dialogue