Recognising the People Who Build Europe Everyday

Europe has long recognised contributions through national honours and European prizes. But there has been no EU-level distinction of this kind for people whose work strengthens Europe as a shared civic and democratic space.

Most of what holds Europe together happens outside institutions. It happens in the everyday work of people who build trust, support others, and keep communities connected across differences. Yet these contributions are rarely recognised at a European level.

This question was at the centre of the European Cultural Foundation (ECF)’s 2022 conversation, Stars of Europe. How to honour the everyday heroes of Europe? It asked why Europe has no shared way to recognise those who act in the spirit of solidarity and cooperation in daily life. In May 2025, the European Parliament took a step in that direction by establishing the European Order of Merit, the first European distinction of its kind granted by an EU institution. It will honour individuals who have made significant contributions to European integration and European values.

Recognition shapes what people see and value. When contributions like these become visible, Europe becomes less abstract and more grounded in lived experience. For ECF the work continues. Belonging grows when people can take part in shared life and see their contribution reflected in it. The task now is to ensure that recognition reaches beyond the already visible and reflects the people who keep Europe’s shared life going every day.