Edoardo Giribaldi, Piotr Kowalczuk
Cardinal Parolin emphasized in his speech that conflicts are escalating in the world and peace is threatened on many fronts. He mentioned the ongoing war in Ukraine in Europe. He indicated that the European Union must embody a “creative effort for harmony,” as encouraged by one of its founding fathers, Robert Schuman, whose beatification process is underway.
Together for peace
Conveying greetings from Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Parolin emphasized that harmony among nations remains a “fundamental promise” of the European Union and a “clear international commitment” of the Holy See, as the Pope himself has repeatedly stated. He added that at the heart of this “civic coexistence” lie values rooted in Europe’s Christian history, of which the founding fathers of the European community were eloquent witnesses. “Among these values, above all, is the affirmation of human dignity, which is inviolable and must be protected at every stage of life.” In conclusion, the Vatican Secretary of State reaffirmed the Holy See’s readiness to cooperate with European institutions to build peace together.
History of the award
Among the twenty laureates of the award, in addition to Cardinal Parolin, were Angela Merkel and Lech Wałęsa. The award was established on the 75th anniversary of the so-called Schuman Declaration, which proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community. The Community became the seed of the integration process that led to the formation of the current EU.
