The International Prize "Charlemagne" 2009 was awarded to Andrea Riccardi and to the Community of Sant'Egidio. The most prestigious german prize, and one of the most important European prizes too, already assigned in former years to statesmen and "great Europeans", among whom Alcide De Gasperi, Konrad Adenauer, Javier Solana, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, John Paul II and last year to the german chancellor Angela Merkel, will be awarded in its fiftieth edition to the founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio.
In the reason for the prize one can read among other things: "For his extraordinary civil engagement in favor of a more human and solidal Europe within and outside its boundaries, for sympathy among peoples, religions and cultures, for a more peaceful and just world. He lives the Europe of values".
The president of the Community of Sant'Egidio, prof. Marco Impagliazzo, learning the news of the awarding of the Prize Charlemagne 2009 declared:
"It is a great honor and a happy surprise that this prestigious prize is being awarded to Andrea Riccardi and to the Community of Sant'Egidio. It is a prize that strengthens the work of the Community for dialogue between cultures and different religions and that encourages the daily work of thousands of members that commit themselves to peace, for a society of living together and not of clash and to make Europe and Africa closer".
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