Ankara wins the 2009 Europe Prize

Strasbourg, 29.04.2009 – The 2009 Europe Prize has been awarded to the Turkish town of Ankara. The decision was taken unanimously by the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) meeting today in Strasbourg.

Through its forty twinnings in the world, Ankara has developed a very dense network of international contacts and attaches great importance to the development of cultural relations by organising every year Cultural Days. And thanks to its international conferences (such as the 5th Glocal Forum) it has contributed to strengthening friendship and understanding among people.

Ankara, which was already awarded the Flag of Honour in 2001 and the Plaque of Honour in 2003, is the third Turkish town to receive this award, after Istanbul and Bursa.

Created by PACE in 1955, the Europe Prize is the highest distinction that can be bestowed on a European town for its actions in the European domain. The prize consists of a trophy, a medal, a diploma and a scholarship to be spent on a study visit within Europe for young people from the winning town.

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The Plaque of Honour, which is the second highest distinction after the Europe Prize, was awarded to twelve municipalities:

Austria Judenburg (Styria)
France Auzances (Creuse)
Tossiat (Ain)
Germany Bühl (Baden-Wurtemberg)
   Euskirchen (North-Rhine Westphalia)
   Neuburg an der Donau (Bavaria)
   Seeheim-Jugenheim (Hessen)
Hungary Szentes (Csongrad County)
Poland Leszno (woj. Wielkopolskie)
Płock (woj. Mazowieckie)
Spain Donostia – San Sebastian (Basque Country)
Ukraine Odessa

The Flag of Honour was awarded to 18 municipalities this year:

Bulgaria  Kavarna
France   Montfort-sur-Meu (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Germany  Aschaffenburg (Bavaria)
   Coburg (Bavaria)
   Ellwangen (Baden-Wurtemberg)
   Hackenheim (Rhineland-Palatinate)
   Harpstedt (Lower-Saxony)
   Herborn (Hessen)
   Leinzell (Baden-Wurtemberg)
Italy   Follonica (Prov. Grosseto)
Lithuania  Kedainiai (Kaunas County)
Šilutė (Klaipeda County)

Poland Bolesławiec (woj. Dolnośląskie)

Lębork (woj. Pomorskie)
Malbork (woj. Pomorskie)
Nysa (woj. Opolskie)
Romania Caracal
Spain Sant Cugat del Vallès (Catalonia)

17 municipalities were granted the European Diploma:

Belgium  Gooik (Flemish Brabant)
France   Arnage (Sarthe)
Plerguer (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Germany  Bacharach am Rhein (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Erlangen (Bavaria)
Flotwedel (Lower-Saxony)
Leverkusen (North-Rhine-Westphalia)
Obersulm (Baden-Wurtemberg)
Hungary  Ajka
Italy   Salsomaggiore Terme (Prov. Parma)
Poland   Serock (woj. Mazowieckie)
Trzcińsko Zdrój (woj. Zachodniopomorskie)
Russia   Petrozavodsk (Carelia)
Spain   Sant Joan Les Abadesses (Catalonia)
Terrassa (Catalonia)
United Kingdom Chalfont St. Giles (Buckinghamshire)
Wigan (Lancashire)