A Belgian language app for refugees has won the 2023 European Charlemagne Youth Prize.
Every year national and European juries select a project from each EU country. 26 national winners were invited to the award ceremony in Aachen on 12 May, where the three EU winners were announced.
European winners
The first prize of €7,500 went to AILEM from Belgium – the first ever language app tailored for refugees and asylum seekers and developed in consultation with them. It uses language to break down intercultural misunderstandings and gaps between refugees and their host country and includes useful phrases, language learning stories and games, as well as ways to connect to other users. The project aims to bring together people from different backgrounds, experiences and social status.
Two projects took joint second place: Mobile Climate Museum from Lithuania and The European Correspondent from the Netherlands. They will both receive €3,750.
The Mobile Climate Museum (Mobili Klimato muziejaus paroda) was set up in May 2022 with the aim of getting people to adopt a climate-friendly lifestyle. It consists of four mobile marine containers representing four themes:
- Climate change – causes and impact
- The EU green deal
- Sustainable farming and healthy food
- Practical tips on cutting consumption
The European Correspondent, founded in 2022, brings together more than 140 young journalists from across Europe with the aim of creating European journalism. They email a daily newsletter, covering a different region each day, with the most relevant European news. They also investigate how big issues play out in different European countries.
National winners
Find out more about the 2023 national winners.
European Charlemagne Youth Prize
The prize, jointly awarded by the European Parliament and the International Charlemagne Prize Foundation, is open to initiatives by young people aged 16-30 involved in projects that promote European and international understanding. Since 2008, 5,000 projects have competed for the prize.
