Zelenskyy and Matviychuk Received the First European Orders of Merit in Strasbourg
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and prominent human rights activist Oleksandra Matviychuk were among the first recipients of the newly established European Order of Merit.
This was reported on the European Parliament’s official website.
The ceremonial presentation of the first-ever awards took place on Tuesday in the plenary hall of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
The prestigious award was established by the Bureau of the European Parliament last year, on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the historic Schuman Declaration.
Representatives of the institution call it the first European award of its kind to be directly granted by an EU institution.
It is intended to honor outstanding figures who have made a significant contribution to European integration or to the promotion and robust defense of the values enshrined in the EU’s founding treaties.
The official part of the event was opened by the heads of key European agencies, who emphasized the importance of the continent’s unity in times of modern crises.
“Europe was not given to us. It was built treaty by treaty, crisis by crisis. Europe will only endure as long as each generation chooses to defend it,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
According to Metsola, the new award is intended to honor those who “chose solidarity over division and cooperation over self-interest.”
The new pan-European award has three hierarchical levels: Member of the Order, Honorary Member of the Order, and the highest—Distinguished Member of the Order.
According to the approved charter, no more than 20 laureates may be appointed to the prestigious order each year. During the first selection, 13 of the 20 chosen laureates attended the ceremony and addressed MEPs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was posthumously awarded the highest level of the European Order of Merit—the status of Distinguished Member.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Polish President Lech Wałęsa, the world-renowned leader of the Solidarity movement, also received the order in this same category.
Unlike the Ukrainian leader, Merkel and Walesa were able to attend the ceremony in Strasbourg in person.
Ukrainian human rights activist Oleksandra Matviychuk was honored at the basic level—as a member of the European Order of Merit.
In this category, she was joined by José Andrés, founder of the charity World Central Kitchen; former European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding; and members of the legendary Irish rock band U2.
Matviychuk’s award underscores the important role of Ukraine’s civil society in defending democracy.
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