The central Romanian city of Sighisoara recently received the Europe Prize 2012. Ioan Dorin Danesan, Mayor of Sighisoara Romania officially received  the prize on Saturday, July 21, at the Medieval Festival Sighisoara.

The prize was presented by the Subcommittee Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council (APCE), Sir Alan Meale and by the Mayor of the German city Hunfeld, Dr. Eberhard Fennel.

The Europe Prize is the highest of four awards given annually by the EU to regional and local authorities for "the active promotion of the European ideal." It is the first time a Romanian municipality has won the prize.

Along with Sir Alan Meale, a number of European politicians and officials attended the ceremony -  Jim Dobbin, Fritz Erich, Jose Mendes Bota, MEP Jean Claude Frecon, Florin Iordache, Vice President Chamber of Deputies, the prefect of Mures, Alexandru Petru Frateanu and others.

The Europe Prize itself is a bronze plaque with allegorical figures and an inscription in Latin.  The mayor also received a check for EUR 5,000, which will go to young people for demonstrating their knowledge of the European institutions.

Sighisoara shares Europe Prize 2012 with the Italian city Corciano. The winners were announced March 29 this year in Berlin. Sighisoara received The Plaque of Honour (2003), the Council of Europe Flag of Honour (1999) and European Diploma (1997) in previous years.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com