Today in Aachen, the prestigious International Charlemagne Prize was awarded in a formal ceremony. The prize is presented annually in recognition of significant contributions to European unity. Past recipients include prominent political leaders such as Emmanuel Macron, Dalia Grybauskaitė, Donald Tusk, Angela Merkel, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, as well as Pope Francis and the European Commission as an institution.
In 2022, the prize was awarded to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Maryia Kalesnikava, and Veranika Tsapkala for the Belarusian society’s struggle for democracy, dignity, and European values. In 2025, marking the 75th anniversary of the award, it was presented to Ursula von der Leyen. As noted by the organizers, the President of the European Commission was honored as “an outstanding leader who is guiding the EU through a period of profound transformation with vision, courage, strength, and foresight”.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya warmly congratulated Ursula von der Leyen, who has consistently supported Belarus and has never wavered in her strong stance toward authoritarian regimes.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “It is a great honor for me to be part of the Charlemagne Prize community — an award that recognizes not only politics but also a commitment to human values: unity, responsibility, and solidarity. I congratulate Ursula von der Leyen on this distinction and thank her for ensuring that Europe under her leadership does not remain silent in the face of human rights violations, and for standing with those who fight for freedom, including in Belarus”.
