The International
Charlemagne Prize of Aachen

On 17 February, a delegation from Aachen, led by Armin Laschet and Lord Mayor Dr Michael Ziemons, officially presented Mario Draghi with the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen. At the residence of the German Ambassador to Italy, Dr Thomas Bagger, Draghi's strategic contribution to European economic and industrial policy was honoured. The award ceremony will take place on 14 May 2026 in Aachen.

As part of the Munich Security Conference, the Internationaler Karlspreis zu Aachen, together with the Conference of European Rabbis and the Abraham Accords Institute Germany, convened a high-level dialogue on resisting antisemitism, destructive ideologies and foreign interference. Among the participants were Charlemagne Prize laureate Maria Kalesnikava and Charlemagne Prize laureate Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt. In a further panel discussion with our Chairman of the Board, Armin Laschet, on the responsibility of prize institutions in a politicised world, one message became clear: awards are far more than ceremony – they can take a stand and strengthen resilience.