Brussels, 05/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - Hungarian youth project "Students without Boundaries" was awarded the first Charlemagne Youth Prize on the evening of 29 April in Aachen. Every year more than one hundred students from Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine and other countries gather for leadership workshops on European issues. The second and third prize went to the United Kingdom and Greece respectively. Parliament's President Hans-Gert Pöttering and André Leysen, Chair of the Charlemagne Prize Foundation, presented the prizes. The Charlemagne Youth Prize is awarded to projects that foster a shared sense of European identity and cultural exchange. Mr Pöttering said that, “the launching of this competition for the first time has shown above all that Europe remains a subject of fascination".
The winning project takes place every year in Hungary and brings together 135 students from Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine and Serbia for leadership workshops. The programme facilitates an exchange of views among students on issues such as European educational opportunities, enlargement of the EU and structural fund. Upon returning home the students continue community building experience on-line.
The ´´London Festival of Europe´´ (UK) was awarded 2nd prize for organising an annual two-week series of free public lectures, debates and art events in some of London's most prestigious venues. Finally, the 3rd prize went to the first High School of Byron in Greece. For almost 30 years the school has sought to ensure that its students develop a European identity. The prizes for the three best projects receive funding of €5 000, €3 000 and €2 000, respectively. The three laureates will visit the European Parliament in June. (L.C.)