Charlemagne Prize for Europe

by | May 11, 2016

On 6th May 2016 in the Sala Regia in the Vatican, Pope Francis was awarded the prestigious Charlemagne Prize. In his address to the eminent guests the Pope offered the award bestowed upon him for Europe as an expression of “our shared hope for a new and courageous step forward for this beloved continent”. Indeed, […]
News

On 6th May 2016 in the Sala Regia in the Vatican, Pope Francis was awarded the prestigious Charlemagne Prize. In his address to the eminent guests the Pope offered the award bestowed upon him for Europe as an expression of “our shared hope for a new and courageous step forward for this beloved continent”.

Indeed, the recent history has turned the eyes of the world to Europe, begging the same disquieting question that was posed by the Pope and that echoed among the dignitaries gathered for the conferral ceremony ”What has happened to you, Europe?”.

The Pope’s response on this occasion, and its three key words – “integrate, dialogue, generate”, could be read as a sort of a Magna Carta for Europe in these challenging times, and calls for a new appraisal of the idea of Europe. Through the upcoming Event “Together for Europe” in June/July 2016 in Munich (Germany) we wish to make our own contribution for Europe and witness to the fact that the ability to “integrate” grows through ENCOUNTER, the ability to “dialogue” ties in closely with RECONCILIATION and without the ability to “generate” there is no FUTURE.

On 6th May the Sala Regia at the Vatican seemed enveloped in an atmosphere of serenity, mutual support and shared hope for the future, perceptible through the small fraternal gestures of the guests. Perhaps it is a responsibility of all of us to ensure that the courageous intents shared by those present in this occasion are not wasted, but translate into a conviction that the Pope’s dream for Europe be realised.

ADDRESS OF POPE FRANCIS

Foto: Andreas Herrmann

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Subscribe to Newsletter

RELATED ARTICLES

A breath of fresh air in Brussels
A breath of fresh air in Brussels

by | May 22, 2026

From 11 to 13 May 2026, the European Parliament in Brussels came alive thanks to 100 young people from Together for Europe, who had come to meet MEPs and public figures. At a time marked by crisis and division, the initiative sent out a powerful message of hope: to build a Europe capable of peace, unity and solidarity among different peoples, cultures and generations. The highlight was the presentation of an Intergenerational Pact, through which young people and adults jointly committed themselves to restoring the spirit and future of the European project.

Austria: Path of Reconciliation
Austria: Path of Reconciliation

by | May 22, 2026

The ‘Path of Reconciliation’ is an association that promotes highly effective initiatives in Austria, involving numerous Christian communities of various denominations. Twice a year, this association organises meetings for leaders and representatives of Christian communities, known as the ‘Round Table’. Together for Europe is also represented there.

Europe and the challenge of holding its diverse communities together
Europe and the challenge of holding its diverse communities together

by | May 15, 2026

We are presenting Fabio Beretta’s article, published on RomaSette.it, on the event “A Light for Europe in a Global Twilight”, which took place in Rome on 9 May 2026. The event was organised by the “Together for Europe” network in collaboration with the young people of the Ut Omens group, and featured a speech by Ambassador Pasquale Ferrara.