On May 19, a solemn ceremony for the presentation of the European Order of Merit took place at the European Parliament in Strasbourg—an award honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the development of European unity, democracy, the protection of human rights, and the consolidation of shared European values.
Among this year's laureates are President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian human rights defender and Head of the Center for Civil Liberties Oleksandra Matviichuk. They were recognized for their leadership, courage, and principled commitment to defending freedom, human dignity, and democratic values during Russia's ongoing military aggression against Ukraine. This also serves as recognition of the Ukrainian people's struggle for the freedom and security of all of Europe.
The ceremony took place with the participation of President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
The Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe, Mykola Tochytskyi, also attended the event.
Alongside the Ukrainian laureates, the awards were presented to prominent European political and public figures, including former President of Poland Lech Wałęsa, former Prime Minister of Poland and former President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, President of Moldova Maia Sandu, former EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, former Chancellor of Austria Wolfgang Schüssel, former President of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet (France), as well as European basketball legend Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece).
Among those honored were also representatives of the academic community, science, the human rights sector, and European institutions.
The European Order of Merit is a symbol of recognition for those whose work strengthens the European project and defends democracy, freedom, and human dignity. Today, Ukraine fights not only for itself—it defends the very principles upon which modern Europe is built.
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