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27 November 2000
'Vision for Europe' Award presented to Dr. Árpád Göncz
The Edmond Israel Foundation, a non-profit making organisation dedicated to the research and promotion of ideas of cultural, scientific, political and economic importance in the context of Europe, today announces that it has awarded its 'Vision for Europe' Award to Dr Árpád Göncz, the former President of the Republic of Hungary.
The Award is presented annually in recognition of outstanding achievement and contribution to Europe. Previous recipients include Dr Willem F Duisenberg, President of the European Central Bank, HE Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg and HE Dr Helmut Kohl, the former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.
This is the first time the recipient of the award has come from an Eastern European country. The emergence of this region of Europe as an increasingly important economy was highlighted by André Lussi, Chairman of the Edmond Israel Foundation, in his introductory speech, where he said:
'Tonight we are focusing our attention eastwards - our spotlight falling exclusively on Eastern Europe and the eastward expansion and consolidation of the European Union. Like many others, I believe that expansion to the east must be a key priority for the advancement of Europe. The concentration of skills and talent in Eastern Europe, the hunger of its people for change, prosperity and economic development, their ambition and drive, can be expected to provide a powerful motor for European growth in the years ahead.'
He then continued to pay tribute to Dr Göncz, saying: 'Árpád Göncz is by any standards a monumental figure, a veritable Renaissance man. Lawyer, soil conservationist, agricultural engineer, novelist, playwright, translator, World War Two resistance fighter, political dissident, parliamentarian, Árpád Göncz appears to have packed more into his life than most of us could manage in ten lifetimes.'
Dr Göncz welcomed André Lussi's understanding and said that for years what had been "self-evident" for Western Europe had been "an example to follow, a goal to reach or an object of envy in Central and Eastern Europe." He continued to say that great progress had been made over the past few years and that the vision of a fully integrated Europe is now an achievable reality.
Other speakers included Patrick Zurstrassen, Managing Director of Crédit Agricole Indosuez Luxembourg, Hans-Dieter Genscher, Germany's former Foreign Minister, Jaromír Sladkovský, winner of this year's INSEAD MBA Scholarship.
For further information, please contact:
Yolande Theis
Clearstream International, Luxembourg
Tel: +352 45 11 03 20
Fax: +352 45 11 08 226
Email: ytheis.ci@clearstream.com
David Hardy or Paul Vann
Binns & Co Public Relations Limited, London
Tel: +44 171 786 9600
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Note to Editors
The Edmond Israel Foundation was created by Cedel International on 19 September 1990 in honour of Edmond Israel, upon his retirement after twenty years as Chairman of Cedel International's Board of Directors.
The Foundation is a non-profit making organisation dedicated to the research and promotion of ideas of cultural, scientific, political and economic importance in the context of Europe. Its aim is to work both within the framework of a changing Europe and to advance European thinking elsewhere in the world, thereby making a high quality contribution to the ongoing debates of our times and exploring themes of freedom, social responsibility and cultural identity. It aims to support and promote research and study and provide financial assistance and scholarship to promising individuals.
Apart from commissioning studies, such as The Proposed Directive on Harmonisation of Taxation of Interest Payments published in January 1999, the Foundation presents the 'Vision for Europe' award annually in recognition of outstanding achievement and contribution to Europe. The 1999 recipient was Mr. Willem F. Duisenberg, President of the European Central Bank and previous recipients were HE Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, HE Dr Helmut Kohl, the former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, HE Mr Jean-Luc Dehaene, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium and HE Mr Jacques Santer, former President of the European Commission, the first recipient of the award.