European State Prize 2025: Innovative projects for a strong Europe!

European State Prize 2025: Innovative projects for a strong Europe!

The awarding of the European State Prize 2025 took place on May 28, 2025 in the Vienna Sofiensälen. The event recognized 89 submitted projects, 15 of which were nominated as finalists in five categories. The European State Prize honors initiatives that make Europe tangible in everyday life and includes contributions from schools, communities, clubs and civil society initiatives. At the award ceremony, European Minister Claudia Plakolm emphasized the importance of commitment to Europe and recalled Austria's accession to the EU in 1995 and its economic, political and social advantages. She also called for a Europe capable of acting with less bureaucracy and more efficiency.

The European State Prize was launched in 2015 to promote commitment to European values. Projects that receive the prize send a strong signal for a living Europe. The prizewinners were chosen in the categories “Europe in the Community”, “Explaining Europe”, “Europe in Art & Culture”, “Borderless Europe” and “Innovative Europe”. The selection was based on criteria such as effectiveness, sustainability, innovative strength and multiplier effects.

Proven initiatives and new ideas

The award-winning projects included five outstanding examples: The “Europe and the Regions” project, initiated by the regional development association “Holzwelt Murau”, offers educational opportunities for EU funding and aims to increase the visibility of EU benefits in the Murau region. Another notable project is “eWandertag”, which was realized by EUROPE DIRECT Steiermark in collaboration with the Styrian Education Directorate. It enables students to take interactive, virtual trips to Brussels to impart EU knowledge and promote interest in political participation.

The “IN SEARCH OF FULFILLMENT” project highlights the effects of fast fashion and raises awareness of the sustainable use of resources. The association “Until it falls off my body AUSTRIA” is responsible for this. With “Impact Blueprint,” the SIA Social Impact Award non-profit GmbH supports young people in developing career-promoting ideas through a video series. Finally, the “Escape the Fake 2.0” project, initiated by EUROPE DIRECT Salzburg, contributes to media literacy and promotes a critical approach to fake news through an augmented reality game.

Objectives and conditions of participation

The European State Prize, which will be awarded for the ninth time in 2025, aims to honor people and projects that promote European thought and enable an open discussion about Europe. The total prize money is EUR 20,000, divided into five categories with EUR 4,000 each. Individuals, organizations and civil society projects operating in the EU are eligible to participate. A minimum age of 14 is required to submit, while local authorities are excluded from participation. Interested parties could nominate their projects until February 23, 2025.

The event was framed by a musical setting with the “Motus Quartet” and also included an exhibition “Austria's Road to Europe”, which discussed the historical context of Austria's accession to the EU.

For further interesting information about the projects and the award ceremony, see ots.at reported, bundeskanzleramt.gv.at and kwf.at.