"The order was introduced last year. As the laureates were announced in March, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said; "With the European Order of Merit, we honor those who did not simply believe in Europe, but who helped build it." "Europe has always been built by people. Bridging divides, breaking barriers, overthrowing dictatorships and overcoming crises for a better future for our continent. This European commitment deserves to be celebrated," she said."
The European Parliament will award the European Order of Merit for the first time. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and former Polish President Lech Walesa are among the initial laureates. Zelenskyy will not attend the ceremony in Strasbourg in person. The EU defines the honor as recognition for contributions to European integration or for promoting and defending the bloc’s core values. Merkel, Zelenskyy, and Walesa will receive the highest level of the award. Other laureates include Vatican top diplomat Pietro Parolin, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, and former European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet, along with Wolfgang Schüssel and members of U2. Thirteen of about twenty laureates will attend and deliver short speeches.
Read at www.dw.com
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