Strasbourg, 29.04.2010 – The 2010 Europe Prize has been awarded to the Ukrainian town of Kharkiv. The decision was taken unanimously by the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) meeting today in Strasbourg.
Kharkiv, which was already awarded the European Diploma in 2003, Flag of Honour in 2004 and the Plaque of Honour in 2008, is the first Ukrainian town to receive this award.
As a major cultural, scientific, educational and industrial centre of Ukraine, Kharkiv has developed a very dense network of international contacts through its sixteen twinnings in the world including former winners of the Europe Prize such as Bologna in Italy and Nuremberg in Germany. A large number of delegations meet every year, thus offering the possibility to co-operate as well with East European as with West European countries. International events like the Kharkiv civic festival, the international junior football tournament and the competitive ballroom dancing festival attract every year numerous participants from the twin-towns.
Created by PACE in 1955, the Europe Prize is the highest distinction that can be bestowed on a European town for its actions in the European domain. The prize consists of a trophy, a medal, a diploma and a scholarship to be spent on a study visit within Europe for young people from the winning town.
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The Plaque of Honour, which is the second highest distinction after the Europe Prize, was awarded to ten municipalities:
Austria Mödling bei Wien (Lower-Austria)
France Voiron (Isère)
Germany Bad Kötzting (Bavaria)
Beckum (North-Rhine-Westphalia)
Dresden (Saxony)
Frankenthal/Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Schöffengrund (Hessen)
Hungary Köszeg (Vas County)
Lithuania Alytus (Dzukija region)
Poland Konin (woj. Wielkopolskie)
The Flag of Honour was awarded to 18 municipalities this year:
