Role models for young Europeans

The European Charlemagne Youth Prize, which is jointly organised by the European Parliament and the Foundation of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen, is granted to projects undertaken by people between 16 and 30 years old. The winning projects should serve as role models for young people living in Europe and offer practical examples of Europeans living together as one community. Youth exchange programmes, artistic and Internet projects with a European dimension are amongst the projects selected.

Total prize money of 10,000 Euros

The three winning projects will be awarded funding of €5,000, €3,000, and €2,000 respectively. They will also be invited to visit the European Parliament.

2009 winners

Last year, the Polish youth project "YOUrope needs YOU!" was awarded the first prize. Through a series of high school workshops run by university students, this project uses informal methods to convey to teenagers interesting facts about Europe. The second and third prizes went to the "European Festival of university theatre of Albi" (France) and to "Gumboot Diplomacy" (Germany) respectively.

Application forms and guidelines are available on the European Charlemagne Youth Prize website at: . http://www.charlemagneyouthprize.eu/view/en/introduction.html

How will the winners be chosen?

Deadline for submitting projects: 22 January 2010

The best three projects will then be selected in two steps.

• First phase: national juries consisting of at least two MEPs and one representative of a youth organisation will select a national winner from each of the 27 EU Member States by 5 March 2010.
• Second phase: A European jury, consisting of three MEPs, the President of the European Parliament and four representatives of the Foundation of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen, will select the winner from the 27 projects submitted by national juries by 8 April 2010.

The prizes

The prizes for the best three projects will be presented by the President of the European Parliament and a representative of the Foundation of the International Charlemagne Prize of
Aachen. The three winners will also be invited to visit the European Parliament in Brussels or in Strasbourg.
Representatives of the 27 national projects will be invited to the award ceremony in Aachen, Germany, on 11 May 2010.