Oι Πρόεδροι: Αντόνιο Ταγιάνι του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου, Ντόναλτ Τούσκ του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου και Ζαν Κλόντ Γιούνκερ της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής θα παραλάβουν σήμερα στο Οβιέδο της Ισπανίας το Βραβείο Princess of Asturias Award εξ ονόματος της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης.

The European Union receives Princess of Asturias Award for Concord

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will receive the Princess of Asturias Award on behalf of the EU today.

The panel chose to award the European Union with the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Concord for its contribution to providing the “longest period of peace in modern Europe” and for spreading “values such as freedom, human rights and solidarity”.

The award ceremony takes place today, Friday 20 October, in Oviedo, Spain. It will be streamed live on EbS from 19:15 (local Brussels time).

“I accept this award on behalf of all EU citizens, with the commitment to continue to work for a Europe that is closer to their concerns. Europeans want the European Union to be truly efficient and democratic, able to listen, to protect them and provide answers to their problems,” said President Tajani.

“I’m honoured to accept this prestigious award, which recognises not only Europe’s role as a global actor of peace, stability and its values, but also the significant contribution of the EU institutions to this historic achievement”, said President Juncker.

The award, with twenty-eight initial candidates from sixteen countries, will be conferred at the Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo later today. The ceremony will be presided over by the King of Spain, Felipe VI, in the presence of the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

Background – The “Princess of Asturias” Award

The Princess of Asturias Foundation (Fundación Princesa de Asturias) is a non-profit private institution which promotes scientific, cultural and humanistic values that constitute universal heritage.

Since the coronation of His Majesty, King Felipe VI, he has assumed the honorary presidency of the institution that has given out the award annually since 1981.

The prizes are awarded in eight different categories: arts, literature, social science, communication and humanities, scientific and technical research, international cooperation, concord and sport. They are handed out each year in October at Oviedo’s Teatro Campoamor. The award ceremony is considered one of the most important cultural events on the international agenda.

Nominees must have an exemplary profile and their work must be recognised internationally. Those who have received the award in the past include Nelson Mandela, Philip Roth, Stephen Hawking, the World Health Organization, Woody Allen, Umberto Eco, Paul Krugman, UNICEF, Riccardo Muti, National Geographic Society and Mario Vargas Llosa.