Draft:Timisoara Award for European Values

The Timișoara Award for European Values (Romanian: Timișoara pentru valori europene) honours personalities who promote or defend European values inside and outside the European Union. It was awarded for the first time in 2024 by the city of Timișoara and is endowed with 30,000Є. The city's initiative aims at presenting a commitment to the European values of freedom, human dignity, democracy, equality, rule of law and human rights. In 1989, Timișoara was the starting point of the Romanian revolution that led to the fall of the Ceaușescu regime, ultimately beginning a transition in Romania towards democracy. The Proclamation of Timisoara, issued in 1990, describes the city as European, recognizes the multiculturalism of the many ethnic groups represented in the city and advocates a democratic basic order characterized by political pluralism.

Jury
The organizers promote that the winner is designated by a jury of personalities from different fields with professional reputation, who would have distinguished themselves for their commitment to European values. For the first edition of the award, the jury was made up of Timisoara's major Dominic Fritz, Iulia Moțoc (The Hague, Judge at the International Criminal Court), Cristian Măcelaru (Cologne, musical director of the National Orchestra of France), Simona Miculescu (Paris, Ambassador/Permanent Delegate of Romania to UNESCO), Anca Miruna Lăzărescu (Munich, director and screenwriter), Mircea Cărtărescu (Bucharest, writer) and Adriana Babeți (Timișoara, writer and literary critic).

Recipients
The first recipient of the Timisoara Award for European Values is Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova. The jury justified their choice as follows: “Maia Sandu’s European voice is clearly and loudly heard at home and in all international capitals. She has initiated an extensive process of reforms and diplomatic advancement, thanks to which she has won the trust of European partners. Moldova is on an irreversible path to the European Union."


 * 2023: Maia Sandu 🇲🇩