Prof. Elisabeth Sándor-Szalay received the FUEN Prize 2025

A highlight of the 69th FUEN Congress, held in Bozen/Bulsan/Bolzano, was the presentation of the FUEN Prize 2025.
This year, the most prestigious European recognition in the field of minority protection was granted to Professor Elisabeth Sándor-Szalay, Deputy Commissioner for the Rights of National Minorities, for her decades-long commitment to the protection of human and minority rights.

In the laudatio, Olívia Schubert, then Vice President of FUEN, described Professor Elisabeth Sándor-Szalay as “engaged, competent, mediating, persistent, integrative and deeply human” personality, highlighting her twelve years of service as Deputy Commissioner and forty years of teaching in the field of minority protection.
 

In her acceptance speech, the awardee expressed her gratitude to FUEN and its member organisations for their long-standing unwavering efforts in minority advocacy since 1949.
She also emphasised the importance of mutual solidarity among communities, cultural diversity, and the active involvement of young people as the foundation for Europe’s future.

 

The artwork “Two Bridges” by Simone Bruhn (Danish minority in Germany) accompanied the award, symbolising FUEN’s core values – connection, stability, and peaceful coexistence in Europe.

We proudly congratulate Professor Elisabeth Sändor-Szalay on receiving the FUEN Prize 2025 for her outstanding contribution to protecting human and minority rights.

Photos: László Mihály  / FUEN - Federal Union of European Nationalities