EMERGING EUROPE AWARDS
WINNERS 2022
OVER 8,000 VOTES CAST
BY PUBLIC VOTING
Congratulations to all shortlisted candidates!
SPECIAL AWARDS 2022
Voted by Emerging Europe and the Emerging Europe Council
Public Figure of the Year
For the commitment demonstrated on several occasions during 2021, not least in the president’s ultimately successful efforts to dissolve parliament and hold a free and fair election, as well as in her openness to building a long-term and sustainable partnership with the European Union.
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT
Princess Marina Sturdza Award
For covering Europe’s complex history in her films, including the Academy Award-nominated Angry Harvest, Europa Europa, and In Darkness.
Holland witnessed the Prague Spring of 1968 while in Czechoslovakia, and was arrested for her support of the dissident movement. She has described her time in Prague as her “introduction to politics, violence, beauty, art, marriage, film and other arts…everything that happened after was based on this Czechoslovak experience”. In Mr. Jones she documented the true story of a Welsh journalist who exposed the terrible famines in Ukraine under Stalin, and as president of the European Film Academy she criticised the Cannes Film Festival for including a Russian entry in this year’s main competition.
Professor Günter Verheugen Award
For being a staunch friend of the countries of emerging Europe throughout his lengthy and distinguished career and an advocate for swift European Union expansion to the east, as well as his involvement in the early stages of creating the European Single Market, and awareness of the benefits it could bring to the countries of emerging Europe. Sir Malcolm was deeply critical of the muted western response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine’s Crimea and Donbas regions in 2014, with most western policy makers now agreeing that if meaningful action had been taken against Russia back then, it would not have been in a position to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CITIES
Overall Ranking
INVESTMENT PROMOTION AGENCY
AWARD WINNERS 2022
Voted by the Emerging Europe jury panel 2022 and the public
PEOPLE
Future-Proof Education
Romania
For fostering a coding and STEM movement in which children, young people and librarians from rural and small urban public areas develop digital skills and get involved in the life of their communities.
Serbia
For spreading awareness about the potential, benefits, and dangers of the digital space in the 21st century, whilst improving digital literacy among the citizens of Serbia.
Armenia
For making use of modern technologies and hybrid solutions to ensure that quality education is accessible to everyone, everywhere.
PEOPLE
Health and Social Care
Serbia
For preventing the coronavirus pandemic being followed by an epidemic of mental health conditions, and fighting the growing depression and stigma that accompanies those suffering with their mental well-being.
Poland
For contributing to the development of technological and legal solutions to improve patient health and increase the efficiency of the Polish health care system, whilst bringing together business, public and scientific entities.
Central and North-East Europe
For addressing the health burden of city residents due to unhealthy lifestyles by making urban policies for health and well-being more innovative, more effective and more integrated.
PEOPLE
Youth Empowerment
Romania
For running a nationwide mentorship programme for young persons aged 16-24 to support them to become successful entrepreneurs.
North Macedonia
For channelling their creativity to address social issues through an arts magazine and giving young Macedonian artists a platform to exhibit their work, thus advocating for local creators.
Albania
For their work in promoting youth empowerment and human rights through artistic and educational activities.
PEOPLE
Artistic Achievement
Poland
An exhibition fostering critical thinking about the social revolution and profound transformation during that period, in six countries of the former Eastern Bloc, not only showing images of cheerful workers certain about their bright future but also those far from propaganda enthusiasm, sometimes marked by melancholy or anxiety.
A film by Luàna Bajrami, a plaintive portrait of three teenage girls kicking against their suffocating small-town life in Kosovo fuelled by righteous anger and conviction that they deserve better.
United States
An exhibition organised by Maria Garth, for giving visibility to women photographers and their perceptions of life under communism and highlighting for the first time the central role played by women in redefining photography’s social reach and expressivity.
PLANET
Green Energy
For contributing to climate change mitigation and transition to a green economy in Ukraine and improvements in the quality of life of the local community.
For facilitating increased energy efficiency in kindergartens via sustainable green energy production for self-consumption and remote energy monitoring, whilst also ensuring better air quality.
For increasing access to climate finance, whilst boosting the resilience of the banking sector and supporting Romania's climate goals.
PLANET
Sustainable Lifestyles
ECOREACTIVE - WORKSHOP ON PLASTIC RECYCLING
Ukraine
For fostering eco-awareness and practices on solid and waste sorting, and recycling and reuse as raw materials.
For promoting the idea of social supermarkets, ensuring high quality food at fair prices for families in need.
Romania
For linking upcycling, the circular economy and the inclusion of women in vulnerable situations, by running a work-integration sewing workshop.
PARTNERSHIP
Regional Collaboration
Central and Eastern Europe
For building the capacity of public administrators in Central and Eastern Europe to promote increased energy efficiency, sustainable energy, reduced carbon emissions and improved climate change adaptability.
Estonia
For their contribution to inter-regional cooperation on health and bio economy, by being a facilitator for networking and joint projects.
Hungary
For fostering knowledge sharing, business creation and acceleration and innovation partnerships in healthcare, climate, urban mobility and raw materials to support more entrepreneurs and SMEs across Central and Eastern Europe.
PARTNERSHIP
Modern and Future-Proof Policymaking
Ukraine
For its unique contribution to position Ukraine as a powerful IT hub, by creating enabling conditions for companies to grow and attract foreign investment.
Estonia
For its work in supporting public sector and civil society organisations in navigating e-governance and digital transformation.
SANDBOX FOR INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Bulgaria
For pushing for local innovation and smart city solutions that can improve the quality of life and stimulate local businesses.
PROSPERITY
People-First Economy
Serbia
For addressing youth unemployment, by financially supporting first-job placements of those under 30 and facilitating matching between young persons and employers.
For tackling the gap between rural and urban areas, whilst addressing the skills mismatch in the labour market and advancing e-work market development in Georgia.
SECOND BALKAN RURAL PARLIAMENT
South-East Europe
For strengthening regional cooperation and contributing to the representation of communities in policymaking for rural development.
PROSPERITY
Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Armenia
For empowering entrepreneurs, including persons with a migrant and refugee background, in developing successful ventures, by offering training, coaching, mentoring and access to finance.
Central and Eastern Europe
For supporting initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe that put digital inclusion at the heart of the economic recovery.
For unlocking regional economic opportunities for Georgia while supporting the development of enterprises and job creation through smart incentives.
PROSPERITY
Global Champion
Poland
A global healthcare platform that has strengthened its leading position as a provider of SaaS solutions to patients, doctors and clinics around the world.
Slovakia
A leading global company and trusted partner in biometric identity management technology that has reinforced market expansion to other regions.
Hungary
A high-growth IT security company dedicated to cybersecurity solutions, including cloud encryption and collaboration, that are currently used worldwide.
PROSPERITY
Foreign Investor
Poland
For their contribution to strengthen electromobility and contributing to the growth of Poland's position as a European production leader in this industry.
Serbia
For their support in raising the profile of Belgrade as a tech hub by opening their largest technology park in Europe
Georgia
For valuing Georgia’s talented workforce and attracting global players into the national market, by operating a new virtual work-at-home office from the country.
PEACE
Democracy and the Rule of Law
Poland
For their humanity and courage in supporting migrants and refugees crossing the Belarusian-Polish border, monitoring human rights violations and advocating for the rule of law and human rights both in Poland and at the EU level.
Czechia
For their uninterrupted work in promoting civic participation and calling for accountability.
Poland
For their work in filling the gap on providing quality civic education while ensuring that no one is left behind.
PEACE
Media Freedom and Responsible Reporting
Armenia, Poland and Ukraine
For their creativity in turning a comic book into a tool for media literacy and critical thinking in Armenia, Poland and Ukraine.
Poland
For their contribution to make leaders accountable for their statements, while ensuring quality and fact-based information in Poland.
Lithuania
For bringing human rights and diversity to the centre of journalism and their contribution to investigative journalism and media literacy.
INDIVIDUALS
Female Business Leader
Croatia
For her long-lasting commitment towards promoting positive changes in society, as well as systematic efforts to empower women in business.
Poland
For her strategic regional growth and leadership achievements in elevating the importance of the emerging Europe region, thus being a role model for other women.
Romania
For her business growth achievement in a sector characterised by fierce competition and massive investment requirements, and for empowering other women to follow her path.
INDIVIDUALS
Young Influencer
Moldova
For her commitment as an environmental activist to educate and make Moldova greener and more resilient to climate change.
Poland
For her determination in defending the human rights of LGBT+ people in Poland and beyond.
Albania
For her outspoken advocacy for women’s rights and commitment towards grassroot and collective action.
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