The winner of the European Charlemagne Youth Prize, Gabriela Jelonek , says she sees Europe’s diversity as an enormous opportunity. It is a major concern of hers to move young people to engage in cultural exchange. "We must go out and get to know other countries, and compare them. And then from all of our impressions we can create something new."

"Erasmus evening" is an online radio programme for students considering an Erasmus semester or year in another country. The programme looks at how to select subjects, how to find accommodation in another country and differences between universities. But it also discusses the education system and day-to-day student life.

All 28 projects that came first in their own countries were invited to the presentation ceremony in Aachen’s Town Hall on 23 May.

Fostering European awareness

This was the tenth time that the European Parliament and the International Charlemagne Prize Foundation had awarded the European Charlemagne Youth Prize. In Aachen, home of the award, the Vice-President of the European Parliament Sylvie Guillaume and the Chair of the International Charlemagne Prize Foundation, Michael Jansen, presented the Polish winner with the prize of 7,500 euros and a trip to the European Parliament in Brussels.

The second prize went to "Re-discover Europe", a Danish initiative with action days to counter euroscepticism in the town of Aalborg. "Are we Europe" from the Netherlands, an online multimedia platform came third.

The European Charlemagne Youth Prize is awarded to people in the 16-30 age bracket each year to promote a shared European awareness. It is intended to encourage projects that foster European understanding. From more than 250 entries, each EU member state selects a winner, who is then entered for the European Charlemagne Youth Prize – for their home country and for Europe.