Parliament honours winners of 2017 European Citizen’s Prize
People and organisations from across EU came to Parliament on 11 October for the Citizen's Prize award ceremony in recognition of their contributions to Europe.
The European Citizen's Prize is given every year to projects and initiatives that contribute to European cooperation and the promotion of common values. After having received medals in ceremonies in their own countries, the laureates gathered in Brussels for a central award ceremony.
Parliament Vice-President Sylvie Guillaume, a French member of the S&D group, said: "The European Parliament is here to shed a light on these successful projects. Our citizens have a voice, and the European Citizen's Prize perfectly demonstrates that we are listening to them."
This year’s winners include 49 people and organisations from 26 EU countries.
For the full list of winners, click here.
Winners from Ireland and the UK
Students and Refugees Together (START) in the UK is an organisation that harnesses the idealism and energy of trainee professionals to enable refugees to access their rights and realise their ambitions. Staff supports the student workforce to provide an otherwise unavailable service.
Border Communities against Brexit is a cross community and non-party political group set up as a direct response to the Brexit referendum. Members include farmers, business people, frontier workers, concerned citizens and community groups.
Foróige in Ireland works with more than 50,000 young people aged 10-18 through 650 youth clubs and 160 youth projects and programmes such as entrepreneurship, health and wellbeing, citizenship and leadership.
The European Citizen’s Prize
Since 2008 the Parliament awards the European Citizen’s Prize every year to projects and initiatives that facilitate cross-border cooperation or promote mutual understanding within the EU. The prize, which has symbolic value, is also intended to acknowledge the work of those who through their day-to-day activities promote European values.
Every Parliament member has the right to nominate one person or organisation for the prize and national juries made up of MEPs rank nominees from their country in order of preference. The final decision on laureates is taken by a central jury headed by Vice-President Guillaume.