Parliament will host the first European Order of Merit ceremony on Tuesday 19 May at 11:30 in Strasbourg. The first laureates will be admitted to the European Order of Merit in recognition of their significant contribution to European integration and the promotion and defence of European values.
Thirteen of the first 20 laureates are expected to attend the ceremony in Parliament’s hemicycle, which will be streamed live. Each laureate will be given the floor after receiving their distinction, and journalists present in Strasbourg will be able to meet several of them afterwards.
The following laureates are expected to attend:
- Angela Merkel, former Federal Chancellor of Germany
- Lech Wałęsa, former leader of Solidarność and former President of Poland
- Jerzy Buzek, former Prime Minister of Poland and former President of the European Parliament
- Aníbal Cavaco Silva, former President and Prime Minister of Portugal
- Pietro Parolin, Cardinal and Secretary of State of the Holy See
- Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova
- Wolfgang Schüssel, former Federal Chancellor of Austria
- Javier Solana, former EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy
- Jean-Claude Trichet, former President of the European Central Bank
- Marc Gjidara, lawyer and scholar
- Sandra Lejniece, physician, scientist and academic leader
- Oleksandra Matviychuk, human rights lawyer
- Viviane Reding, former Vice-President of the European Commission, former Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg and former Member of the European Parliament
Journalists are welcome to attend separate press briefings after the ceremony in plenary with Lech Wałęsa, Maia Sandu, Wolfgang Schüssel, and Jean-Claude Trichet. Marc Gjidara, Sandra Lejniece, Oleksandra Matviychuk and Viviane Reding will also be available for media opportunities.
Media representatives interested in attending any of these briefings should write to media-seminars@europarl.europa.eu or eva.egido@europarl.europa.eu.
From 16:00 to 17:00, a number of laureates including Sandra Lejniece, Oleksandra Matviychuk and Viviane Reding will participate in a panel discussion at La Rotonde, in Parliament’s Churchill building, which will be open to media representatives. The final line-up will be communicated closer to the date.
Background
Ahead of the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, the European Parliament’s Bureau decided to establish the first European distinction of its kind granted by an EU Institution, to honour the achievements of individuals who have made significant contributions to European integration and to the promotion and defence of European values.
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