The Global Dialogue Prize was envisioned in 2009 by Jesper Garsdal and realized as part of the Global Dialogue Project 2009/2010, coordinated by Johanna Seibt and Jesper Garsdal. The Global Dialogue Project combined the bestowal of the award with a large international conference (“Global Dialogue Conference 2009: Responsibilty Across Borders–Climate Change as Challenge for Intercultural Value Inquiry”).
Support for the Global Dialogue Project came from the so-called Global Dialogue Project Group, a consortium of public and private sponsors which included the Poul Due Jensens Foundation, Aarhus University, Aarhus Kommune, VisitAarhus Events, and the research unit ICON (Interculturality, Conflict, and Value Studies) at the Department for Philosophy at Aarhus University.