The “Schwarzkopf Europe Award” is awarded to institutions or public figures who have distinguished themselves in an outstanding way by a committed and dedicated service to either European understanding or the growing together of Europe. The awardee is selected by the award winners of the “Young European of the Year”, an award which is also granted by the Schwarzkopf Foundation, out of pool of nominations handed in by young people across Europe.
+++ Schwarzkopf Europe Award 2019: New Europeans +++
The 2019 Schwarzkopf Europe Award is going to the civil rights organization New Europeans. This year’s selection followed a new format: First, Young European of the Year recipients of our foundation nominated three candidates for the 2019 prize. Then, an online voting process was opened to young people in Europe age 35 or younger to choose the final recipient. New Europeans received the most votes. New Europeans focuses their work on a shared European identity. The organization is “committed to building a Europe of equality, diversity, freedom and solidarity, anchored in human rights” and does so through a number of different projects and campaigns. Recently, the organization headed the #GreenCard4Europe proposal, which would guarantee the rights of UK citizens in the EU and EU citizens in the UK in a post-Brexit Europe. Details regarding the award ceremony will follow in weeks to come.
2018 - Margrethe Vestager has been European Commissioner for Competition since 2014. The jury honored her inspiring interpretation of her role as commissioner and the courage she has shown in the past years fighting for fair competition. As a Commissioner, she pushed for compliance with EU laws, but also worked tirelessly to bring EU institutions closer to their constituents.
2017 - Emily O’Reilly is the EU Ombudsman who supports the integrity of the different institutions of the European Union and upholds the European idea in her work. She has become a role model for the European youth through her tiredless work against the erosion of the European Union.
2016 – IHA Germany e.V. , Flüchtlinge Willkommen, and SOS Méditerranée for thei work with central challenges to the refugee crisis. Inter European Human Aid Association in Germany focuses on the protection and assistance on the EU borders. The initiative Flüchtlinge Wilkommen brings flat shares and refugees together. SOS Méditerranée Germany not only supports shipwrecked refugees in the Mediterranean sea but protects and guides refugees and migrants with the help of medical and psychological care.
2015 – Neil MacGregor is a historian and one of the founding directors of the Humboldt Forum who has outstandingly dedicated himself to the European self-conception. He manages to unite cultural visions of the past, present and future in an extraordinary way.
2014 – The human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina works in an mpressive way for human rights in her native Russia. She fights especially for refugees and displaced persons in Russia and Europe and founded in 1990 the first human rights organisation in Russia.
2013 – sociologist Ulrich Beck is committed to the European common good instead of narrow-minded national policies in times of crises. He opens his scientific insights to the open debate and contributes to the creation of a European public.
2012 – German politician Martin Schulz was the President of the European Parliament. With the award, he was honoured for his tiredless advocacy for a solidary and united Europe.
2011 – Connie Hedegaard, former European Commissioner for Climate Action, received the Schwarzkopf Europe Award 2011 for her dedicated and tireless commitment in the fight against climate change.
2010 – Jean-Claude Juncker, the current President of the European Commission, was honoured for his communication of the historical importance of European integration and cooperation, and his exemplary management of the financial crisis. Additionally, he was honoured for his commitment to counteract casual emergences of nationalism in European politics.
Prior to 2010
2009 – Mirsad Tokaca, Nataša Kandić und Vesna Terselic
2008 – Alexander Stubb (Finnish Politician)
2007 – Aliaksandr Lahvinets (university lecturer, Belarus)
2006 – Dieter Kosslick (Director Berlin International Film Festival)
2004 – Navid Kermani (author and Islamic academic)
2003 – Carla del Ponte (Chief Prosecutor of the Yugoslavian Tribunal)
The award for the “Young European of the Year” is given to young Europeans aged between 18 and 26 years who have distinguished themselves in an exemplary manner concerning their honorary commitment and dedication in the support of international understanding and/or the integration of Europe. Find out more!
The Margot Friedländer Award calls on young people to deal with the Shoah, remembrance work and human engagement against exclusion, anti-Semitism and racism in the present.
The Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe believes that European diversity can best be understood by experiencing it. Our travel grants seek to enable young Europeans to explore and discover their continent, while tackling current political or social questions. By travelling, grantees becomes ambassadors for a united Europe.
Curious how the foundation developed from its founding by Pauline Schwarzkopf 1971 in Hamburg and becoming the umbrella organisation for the EYP in 2004? Find out more about the foundation and its motivation.
