Introduction

The prize is an annual initiative of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).Its aim is to reward and encourage tangible initiatives and achievements by civil societyorganisations and/or individuals that have made a significant contribution to promoting Europeanidentity and integration. Its overall objective is to raise awareness of the contribution that civilsociety organisations and/or individuals can make to the creation of a European identity andcitizenship in a way that underpins the common values that shore up European integration.

Objective of the Prize

The 2018 prize will reward innovative initiatives carried out by civil society organisations and/orindividuals on the territory of the EU and aimed at raising awareness of the multiple layers andrichness of European identities, exploiting the full potential of Europe's cultural wealth, facilitatingaccess to European cultural heritage and promoting European values (respect for human dignity andhuman rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law).

Topics

The candidate activities/initiatives shall cover at least one of the following areas:

- promoting European values (respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom,democracy, equality and the rule of law) through culture;

- promoting the respect of cultural, religious and linguistic diversity and of the freedom of thearts as European fundamental rights;

- promoting the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of peaceful assemblyand to freedom of association at all levels;

- raising awareness of the wealth of Europe's cultural heritage in a broad sense, i.e. bothtangible heritage (monuments, buildings, …) and intangible heritage and its impact oncontemporary creation (performing arts, visual arts, literature, media etc.);

- promoting European values and European multi-layered identity as a foundation ofunderstanding, exchange and development to combat populist tendencies, propaganda andprejudice;

- facilitating and encouraging the access of a wider and more diversified public to Europeancultural heritage, including via digital means, by removing physical, social or culturalbarriers, or through audience-development activities, taking into account people with specialneeds;

- showcasing the importance of Europe's cultural heritage to foster a sense of Europeanmultilayered identity, social inclusion and integration, e.g. through education and lifelonglearning activities, in particular those focusing on children, young people and seniorcitizens, local communities and disadvantaged groups;

- preventing the misuse of culture as a means for the promotion of racism, radicalism ornationalism by actively focusing on the diversity inherent in European identity and inEuropean cultural heritage and on the differing interpretations of that heritage;

- raising awareness of the whole spectrum of cultures that over the centuries and at presenthave contributed and are contributing to the creation of a multi-layered European identity;

- exploiting the capacity of culture and of intercultural and interreligious dialogue to preventconflict and foster reconciliation and stability between different communities.

These initiatives shall have already been implemented or still be ongoing. Initiatives which areplanned but whose implementation has not yet started on 7 September 2018 (closing date forsubmission of applications) are excluded.

Eligible applicants

The EESC Civil Society Prize is open to all civil society organisations (CSOs) registered within theEuropean Union and acting at local, national, regional or European level. It is also open toindividuals. CSOs are organisations which are actively involved in shaping public affairs on thebasis of their own concerns, drawing on their own specific knowledge, abilities and scope foraction.

Funding

A maximum of five prizes will be awarded. The first prize has a value of 14.000 euro. The amountof the second, third, fourth and fifth prize is 9.000 euro. If place one is shared among more than onewinner ex aequo, the amount of each of the first prizes is respectively 11.500 for two first prizes,10.600 for three first prizes, 10.250 euro for four first prizes and 10.000 euro for five first prizes.

The prize award ceremony will take place in Brussels on 13 December 2018, during the EESCplenary session. Two representatives per winner will be invited to the ceremony, with travel andaccommodation organised by the EESC according to the rules which will be notified to winners indue time.

More information athttps://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/2018-eesc-civil-society-prize