Charlemagne Prize

Charlemagne Prize
The Charlemagne Prize (full name originally Internationaler Karlspreis der Stadt Aachen, International Charlemagne Prize of the City of Aachen, since 1988 Internationaler Karlspreis zu Aachen, International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen) is a prize awarded for work done in the service of European unification. It has been awarded since 1950 by the German city of Aachen. It commemorates Charlemagne, ruler of the Frankish Empire and founder of what became the Holy Roman Empire, who was the first to unify Western Europe following the Fall of the Western Roman Empire. Traditionally the award is given to the recipient on Ascension Day in a ceremony in the Aachen Town Hall. In April 2008, the organisers of the Charlemagne Prize and the European Parliament jointly created a new European Charlemagne Youth Prize, which recognises contributions by young people towards the process of European integration. Patrons of the foundation are King Philippe of Belgium, King Felipe VI of Spain, and Henri, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
History
On 19 December 1949, presented to the reading group "Corona Legentium Aquensis", which he had founded, his proposals for the prize: "We have the honour of proposing annual presentation of an international prize for the most valuable contribution in the services of Western European understanding and work for the community, and in the services of humanity and world peace. This contribution may be in the field of literary, scientific, economic or political endeavour."
The sponsors of the prize, the City of Aachen, refer to Charlemagne as the "Founder of Western Culture", and assert that under his reign, the City of Aachen was once the spiritual and political centre of the whole of what is now western Europe.
The first Charlemagne Prize was awarded to Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi, the founder of the Pan-European Movement.
Following the presentation of the award to the Italian Prime Minister Alcide de Gasperi in 1952, the International Charlemagne Prize of the City of Aachen has repeatedly sent messages going far beyond Germany and promoting the "unity of Europe".
The award sponsors assert that the list of Charlemagne Prize winners reflects the history of the European process of unification, commonly referred to as European integration. They continue that it has been awarded to founding fathers of a United Europe such as de Gasperi, Schuman, Monnet and Adenauer, and to those who have embodied hope for integration such as Edward Heath, Konstantinos Karamanlis, and His Majesty Juan Carlos I.
The sponsors promote that the Charlemagne Prize is not only an expression of gratitude for lasting services for the unity of Europe, but also an encouragement and an expression of hopes and expectations directed towards the future. They quote Kurt Pfeiffer: "the Charlemagne Prize reaches into the future, and at the same time it embodies an obligation – an obligation of the highest ethical value. It is directed at a voluntary union of the European peoples without constraint, so that in their newfound strength they may defend the highest earthly goods – freedom, humanity and peace – and safeguard the future of their children and children's children."
In April 2008, the organisers of the Charlemagne Prize and the European Parliament jointly created a new European Charlemagne Youth Prize, which recognises contributions by young people towards the process of European integration.
Recipients
1950 Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi
1951 Hendrik Brugmans
1952 Alcide de Gasperi
1953 Jean Monnet
1954 Konrad Adenauer
1956 Winston Churchill
1957 Paul Henri Spaak
1958 Robert Schuman
1959 George C. Marshall
1960 Joseph Bech
1961 Walter Hallstein
1963 Edward Heath
1964 Antonio Segni
1966 Jens Otto Krag
1967 Joseph Luns
1969 European Commission
1970 François Seydoux de Clausonne
1972 Roy Jenkins
1973 Salvador de Madariaga
1976 Leo Tindemans
1977 Walter Scheel
1978 Konstantinos Karamanlis
1979 Emilio Colombo
1981 Simone Veil
1982 Juan Carlos of Spain
1984 Karl Carstens
1986 The People of Luxembourg
1987 Henry Kissinger
1988 Helmut Kohl and François Mitterrand
1989 Frère Roger
1990 Gyula Horn
1991 Václav Havel
1992 Jacques Delors
1993 Felipe González
1994 Gro Harlem Brundtland
1995 Franz Vranitzky
1996 Beatrix of the Netherlands
1997 Roman Herzog
1998 Bronisław Geremek
1999 Tony Blair
2000 Bill Clinton
2001 György Konrád
2002 The Euro
2003 Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
2004 Pat Cox
2004 / Pope John Paul II (extraordinary prize)
2005 Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
2006 Jean-Claude Juncker
2007 Javier Solana
2008 Angela Merkel
2009 Andrea Riccardi
2010 Donald Tusk
2011 Jean-Claude Trichet
2012 Wolfgang Schäuble
2013 Dalia Grybauskaitė
2014 Herman Van Rompuy
2015 Martin Schulz
2016 / Pope Francis
2017 Timothy Garton Ash
2018 Emmanuel Macron
2019 António Guterres
2020/2021 Klaus Iohannis
2022 Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Maria Kalesnikava, Veronika Tsepkalo
2023 Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people
By country
See also
European Charlemagne Youth Prize
European integration
Leipzig Human Rights Award, originally called the "Alternative Charlemagne Award", formed in opposition to Clinton's recognition with the award
The Writing on the Wall (Yes Minister), which subjects the prize to satirical treatment (called the 'Napoleon Prize' in the episode)
, formed in opposition to Kissinger's recognition with the award
References
External links
Humanitarian and service awards
Awards established in 1949
German awards
European awards
Aachen
European integration
Municipal awards