Winners

United Kingdom – ‘Europe & Me’

Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said: ‘The selected project is exceptionally original. You see that immediately when you open the website. You are faced with an ideal European “man” or an ideal European “woman”, divided into five areas: Brain, Heart, Diaphragm, Baby and Legs – and each part represents a different idea of what it means to be ‘European’. Europe & Me is a British online lifestyle magazine created in 2007 by young Europeans for young Europeans. Its motto is ‘making Europe personal’, as Europe is often equated with politics and bureaucracy. Today, Europe & Me is a portal that allows young people to take initiative, develop themselves and find like-minded people. ‘I think the most important message of this project is that Europe can and should be “cool”. The word “cool” itself is becoming increasingly popular in politics these days,’ Buzek noted.

Spain – ‘Escena Erasmus Project’

Finally, the third prize went to the ‘Escena Erasmus Project’ (Spain). Launched in 2009, the Escena Erasmus Project is an innovative European project aimed primarily at Erasmus students and designed to promote cultural and linguistic exchange. This project aims to develop into a theatre network that promotes exchange between European student theatres. At the award ceremony, Aachen's mayor Marcel Philipp said: ‘Our culture is what holds Europe together at its core, and culture is inextricably linked to education.’