The Luka Ritz annual awards for promoting tolerance and violence-free schools were presented to primary school student Simun Loncar and secondary school student Korina Barak at a ceremony at the Ministry of Science and Education on Monday.

The Luka Ritz awards have been presented since 2008 to commemorate Luka Ritz, who died in June 2008 at the age of 18, after he was beaten by a group of his peers in Zagreb.

Simun Loncar, a sixth year primary school student from Zagreb, accepts differences and other opinions, needs, and sentiments and tries to encourage others to treat others with respect, while Korina Barak, a second year secondary school student from Rijeka, is willing to help victims and abusers alike, because she is aware both need love and support, the award giving commission said.

The awards were presented by Tomislav Paljak, state secretary at the Ministry of Science and Education, and Suzana Ritz, chair of the award giving commission.

Paljak said that the award honours students fighting for a better and more tolerant tomorrow, promoting positive values and models of behaviour, building a culture of tolerance and non-violence, and influencing the views of young people in a wider social context.

Accepting the award, Korina Barak said that violence should be systematically condemned. “At a time when peer violence is on the rise, it is important to enforce zero tolerance to violence,” she said.

The award includes a monthly scholarship of 1,000 kuna (€133) for a primary school and a secondary school student.

Special honours were awarded to Karlo Galic, a primary school student from Kamenica, and Tijana Stojanovic, a secondary school student from Dubrovnik.