Presidents Juncker, Schulz and Tusk delivered a joint eulogy in the Vatican on the occasion of the award of the prestigious Charlemagne Prize to Pope Francis.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker took part in the ceremony awarding the Charlemagne Prize to Pope Francis in the Vatican, together with European Parliament President Martin Schulz and European Council President Donald Tusk.
The Catholic Pontiff has been awarded the Charlemagne Prize for “his efforts to promote the European values of peace, tolerance, compassion and solidarity”. The Presidents of the three EU institutions – all of whom are themselves previous recipients of the Charlemagne Prize – were invited to address a joint eulogy for this year’s laureate.
In his part of the speech, President Juncker underlined that Pope Francis personifies the idea that solidarity and compassion are not just fine-sounding words but values that require us to take a stand and act. He warned that peace cannot be taken for granted and called on all Europeans to face up to their difficulties in order to overcome them, and to shape history rather than be swept along by it.
The award ceremony was preceded by a Pontifical Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica and by a private audience of the three Presidents with the Pope. It was followed by a joint press conference of President Juncker, President Schulz and Marcel Philipp, Lord Mayor of the German city of Aachen, home to the Charlemagne Prize.
Presidents Juncker and Schulz also wrote a joint article on this occasion that was published in several European newspapers. They highlight the message of hope that Pope Francis has sent to Europe, which calls for more unity and more solidarity as the continent confronts its many crises.
On the eve of the event, the three Presidents participated, alongside Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, in a debate on the State of the Union, which took place in the Horatii and Curiatii Room in the Capitolini Museum – the same room in which the Treaty of Rome was signed on 25 March 1957.
The Charlemagne Prize is awarded every year to honour exceptional work performed in the service of European unity.
Culled from http://ec.europa.eu