It honours a European personality who, through his or her work has left their mark on Europe. The award reflects their service to the safeguarding of freedom of expression and the deepening of democracy in Europe as well as their outstanding achievements in promoting European understanding and communication.

Stefan Aust, former editor-in-chief, Der Spiegel
Boris Biancheri, President, news agency ANSA
Hugo Bütler, head of journalism,
Neue Zürcher Zeitung Group
Ulrich Deppendorf, Programmdirektor Fernsehen beim WDR Köln
Kai Diekmann, Editorial Director BILD Group
Mathias Döpfner, CEO and head of the Newspapers
Division, Axel Springer AG
Peter Frey, head of Berlin's ZDF tv studio
(Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen)
Alexander Gauland, former publisher,
Märkische Allgemeine
Hans-Ulrich Jörges, deputy editor-in-chief, Stern
Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Chair of the
Human Genetics Commission
Hans Werner Kilz, editor-in-chief,
Süddeutsche Zeitung
Roger Köppel, editor-in-chief, Die Welt
Giovanni di Lorenzo, publisher, Tagesspiegel
Klaus Rost, editor-in-chief, Märkische Allgemeine
Rachel Salamander, publisher, Literarische Welt
Stephan Sattler, editor,
head of cultural department, Focus
Andrea Seibel, deputy editor-in-chief, „Die WELT“ / „Berliner Morgenpost“
Frank Schirrmacher, publisher,
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Prince Karl zu Schwarzenberg,
Secretary of Czech Republic
Louis Schweitzer, Chairman Le Monde
Wolfram Weimer, editor-in-chief, Cicero