Nordfyns Hojskole, Denmark, 26th Oct 2026 – The 2026 H.C.Andersen Teacher’s Award (ATA) ceremony took place on October 13 at the Andersen Museum in Odense, Denmark, recognizing ten educators from different countries and regions for their contributions in educational practice and promoting children’s growth.  

Winners taking photos with guests.

The selection process for this year began on August 22, 2025, involving multi-channel nominations, interviews with the judges, on-site school visits, and final evaluations, ultimately choosing ten winners. Among the awardees, Li Jianhua, Tong Sheng, Yang Yinghong, Chen Dong, Guo Zhiqi, and Zhou Guoping visited Germany and Denmark from October 4 to 14, 2026, for observation and learning, and attended the awards ceremony on October 13.  

Guests attending included Ejnar Stig Askgaard, deputy director of the Andersen Museum; Benny Nibo, chairman of the ATA committee; Erik Simonsen, former deputy mayor of Odense; Mogens Godballe, principal of Nordfyns Hojskole; the award initiator Dong Ruixiang; special guest media figure Cheng Shi; and outstanding kindergarten representative Yu Shan.  

All the award recipients join in reciting excerpts from the “Hans Christian Andersen Educator Award – Denmark Declaration.”

During the ceremony, Ejnar Stig Askgaard delivered a welcome speech, followed by speeches from Benny Nibo and Erik Simonsen. Afterwards, Dong Ruixiang, Benny Nybo, and Erik Simonsen jointly presented the ATA certificates, and all awardees recited excerpts from the “Andersen Teacher’s Award Denmark Declaration.”  

At the same event, the first Sindberg Knight Award ceremony was held, with Sindberg’s niece Mariann Stenvig Andersen presenting the award certificate to Li Bo. Dong Ruixiang presented a commemorative award plate to Marianna, honoring Sindberg’s aid to the Chinese people during the War of Resistance. 
 

Dong Xiangrui, founder of the Hans Christian Andersen Teacher Award, has been awarded a certificate of “Honorary Citizen of Nordfyn Municipality” by the Danish government.

Mogens Godballe led everyone in singing a Danish folk song and, on behalf of the mayor of Nordfyns Municipality, presented Dong Ruixiang with the “Honorary Citizen of Nordfyns Municipality” certificate, along with a thanks letter from Nordfyns Hojskole. After the ceremony, attendees toured the Andersen Museum and attended a welcome luncheon.  

Dong Ruixiang shared that his study experience in Denmark inspired his thoughts on education, and he hopes to promote Andersen’s educational philosophy through the award, spreading kindness and peace via education and fostering China-Denmark exchange and children’s education development.  

The awardees expressed that through visits, exchanges, and discussions, they deepened their understanding of Danish education. In the future, they plan to integrate what they learned into teaching, carry out educational practices and philosophy-sharing activities, and continue collaborating with other educators to create a happier and more enjoyable learning environment for children.  

The H.C.Andersen Teacher’s Award was founded in 2021 by the H.C.Andersen International Kindergarten College and was jointly initiated by Dong Ruixiang and Danish education figure Benny Nybo. The award is open to educators worldwide and those engaged in children’s family education and research, recognizing ten representative educational practitioners each year. Its goal is to promote Nordic educational ideas and encourage international educational exchange and cooperation.
 

Media Contact

Organization: Hans Christian Andersen Teacher Award Organizing Committee

Contact Person: Dong Ruixiang

Website: https://www.and822.com

Email: Send Email

City: Nordfyns Højskole

Country: Denmark

Release id: 50202

View source version on King Newswire:
ATA Ceremony Held in Denmark, Honoring Ten Global Educators