Former Federal Minister Ursula Plassnik receives "Premio Mediterraneo Diplomazia"
"Fondazione Mediterraneo" acknowledges her merits for the European-Arab dialogue
Rome, 12 April 2010 – Today, former Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Member of the National Council and Special Envoy for International Women’s Issues, Ambassador Dr. Ursula Plassnik was officially presented with the "Premio Mediterraneo Diplomazia 2009-2010" awarded to her by the "Fondazione Mediterraneo". The presentation ceremony was attended by the Austrian Ambassador in Rome and representatives of the Italian government and the city of Naples.
Ambassador Plassnik was awarded this distinction for her efforts in promoting the European-Arab dialogue with the active integration of the civil society. In particular the European-Arab Minister Conference held upon her initiative in 2008 in Vienna, in which almost 200 representatives of the civil society participated, was an important contribution toward strengthening the partnership on a political, economic, social, and cultural level between the countries of Europe and the Arab world. During her time in office, the dialogue of cultures was especially strengthened and intensified in Austrian foreign policy. Ambassador Plassnik is particularly focused on the promotion of women’s rights and their presence in public political life, the integration of religious authorities into social dialogue, as well as the active diversity of cultures and religions based on universal human rights as the basic pillar of democracy.
In recent years, personalities like the Jordanian King Hussein, the Moroccan King Hassan, the Spanish King Juan Carlos, Leah Rabin, Suzanne Mubarak, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz, Shirin Ebadi, Queen Rania of Jordan, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva, German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos were among those distinguished by the Naples-based „Fondazione Mediterraneo“.
Contact:
Austrian Embassy in Rome
Via G. B. Pergolesi 3
00198 Rom
Tel.: (+39) 06 844014-1
rom-ob(at)bmeia.gv.at
