European Economic and Social Committee
PRESS RELEASE No 83/2006
7 September 2006
The EESC prize for organised civil society
The European Economic and Social Committee has chosen
the prize-winners for 2006
The EESC prize for organised civil society will be officially awarded on
13 September 2006, as part of the Committee's plenary session which
will be held at the European Commission's Charlemagne building. The
panel of judges, which met on 29 August 2006 under the chairmanship
of Anne-Marie Sigmund, EESC president, unanimously chose three prizewinners for 2006. The theme chosen for 2006 was "The European
identity as a cultural element essential for European integration".
The first prize of EUR 10 000 was awarded to the European Physical Society
(EPS). Two joint second prizes of EUR 5 000 each were awarded to the European
Civic Forum and to "The Future of Europe", a Hungarian association.
The EESC prize for organised civil society, which was set up at the initiative of
the president of the EESC, aims to reward and promote intellectual work or
practical action on a theme which is chosen annually. The 2006 prize is for work
or initiatives by civil society organisations that can help raise European citizens’
awareness of the shared roots, values and goals of all peoples united under the
banner of European integration.
The panel unanimously concluded that, through their work, all three candidates
have significantly helped to enhance and reinforce the European identity as a
cultural element essential for European integration.
Information on the prize-winners
European Physical Society (EPS)
Created in 1968 and bringing together over 100 000 members, the European
Physical Society was the first professional scientific association to be set up at
European level. In an era overshadowed by the arms race, the EPS exerted an
influence that went beyond the scientific domain, and for almost 40 years it has
been contributing to the creation of a peaceful and Europe-wide civil society,
which transcends the political blocs which divided Europe for several decades.
European Civic Forum
The European Civic Forum, which was created in December 2005 at the initiative
of a group of French associations known collectively as CIDEM ("Civisme et
démocratie"), is active in the areas of education and citizenship, in promoting a
sense of citizenship and in involving young people. It currently brings together
approximately 100 national, regional and local associations and NGOs active in
the 25 EU Member States in the areas of education and citizenship. Its overall
aim is to bring a citizenship dimension to European integration.
EN
European Economic and Social Committee
The "Future of Europe" association
The key objective of the Hungarian association "The Future of Europe", which
was set up in 1990, is to help young European citizens become a more tolerant
and prejudice-free generation that is respectful of people and their differences.
With this aim in mind, the association holds a biennial international meeting for
young people and children in the Hungarian town of Kecskemét, which provides
an opportunity for the town's inhabitants to welcome children from all over
Europe.
For further details, please contact Mr Patrick Fève:
Tel.: +32 2 546.96.16
Fax: +32 2 546.94.69
Email: Patrick.Fève@eesc.europa.eu
For further details, please contact:
Karel Govaert or Christian Weger at the EESC Press Office,
99 rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels
Tel.: +32 2 546 9396/9586; mobile: +32 475 75 32 02
email: press@eesc.europa.eu
Internet: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/
Press releases:
http://www.eesc.europa.eu/activities/press/cp/index_en.asp
The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social
components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the
1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they
represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has
317 members. Its members are appointed by the Council.