The presentation will take place in a joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Development committees and the Subcommittee on Human Rights. This is the first step in the process of awarding the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2025.
WHEN: Tuesday 23 September, from 14.30 p.m. to 15.30 p.m.
WHERE: Room 3C050, Paul-Henri Spaak Building, European Parliament, Brussels
The meeting will be broadcast live via the European Parliament’s webstreaming. It will also be available afterwards as a recording.
Next steps
Following the presentation of candidates by the political groups, the responsible committees will vote on a shortlist of three candidates on 16 October.
The laureate will be chosen by the Conference of Presidents, composed of the President of Parliament, Roberta Metsola and the political groups leaders, at the end of October.
The award ceremony for the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought will take place during Parliament’s December plenary session in Strasbourg.
Background
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded annually by the European Parliament since 1988. It is the highest European award for commitment to and work on human rights.
Each year in September, MEPs and political groups nominate candidates for the Sakharov Prize. Each candidate must have the support of at least 40 MEPs, and each MEP can only support one candidate.
