NICOLA Sturgeon has won an award from a group of 100 European print media editors for her “responsible and ethical stance against Brexit and for being “a crucial voice of reason” in the debate over Britain’s exit from the EU.
The recognition comes from the international German media conference M100 Sanssouci Colloquium, which gathers editors from important print media of EU member states.
The M100 Media Award is for people who have made their mark on Europe and the world and are committed to strengthening democracy, freedom of opinion and the press, as well as European understanding.
The First Minister will be presented with her award at a ceremony in Potsdam, capital of the German state of Brandenburg, later this month.
The M100 said in announcing the award: "A no-deal Brexit looms with Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, just as Labour – Britain’s largest British opposition party – and its leader Jeremy Corbyn have no clear course for Brexit.
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"Sturgeon stands out as a politician with a clear pro-European stance in politically turbulent times for Great Britain and Scotland. In the course of internal UK affairs and campaigns such as the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Sturgeon has asserted herself as a strong and passionate pro-European and democrat."
The M100 Advisory Board expressed its "explicit support for Nicola Sturgeon’s responsible and ethical stance against Brexit and its desire for sustained close relations between Great Britain and the European Union in service of the European unification process".
Armin Laschet, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, who will speak in Sturgeon’s honour on the award night, said: “Nicola Sturgeon is a crucial voice of reason at a time in which political discourse is sadly too often shaped by a lack of objectivity and short-term thinking.
“As a staunch European, Nicola Sturgeon conveys strong messages of cohesion and political rationality from Scotland to both Europe and the entire world.
"She stands for the regions’ strength and the growing importance of regional cooperation in Europe.
"With the M100 Media Award, her commitment to a unified Europe is rightfully honoured.”
The Lord Mayor of Potsdam, Mike Schubert, emphasised as chairman of the M100 Advisory Board: “Nicola Sturgeon is a strong politician and a passionate European. She has not only raised the flag of Scotland, but has also stood up to the Brexit protagonists in difficult times. I would like to express my profound admiration for that. Her voice is heard when it comes to the question of European identity. She is a worthy laureate.”
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M100 board member Kai Diekmann, added: “No other part of Great Britain voted against Brexit with such an overwhelming majority as Scotland. Much of this is due to the efforts of Nicola Sturgeon, who knows the value of the European Union peace project and has fought the populist Leave campaign with all her might."
Launched in 2005, the M100 Media Award distinguishes individuals who have left their mark on Europe and the world and are committed to strengthening democracy, freedom of opinion and of the press, and European understanding.
Previous recipients include Lord Norman Foster, Dr Bernard Kouchner, Bob Geldof, Ingrid Betancourt, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Kurt Westergaard, Charlie Hebdo, Roberto Saviano, Natalia Sindeeva, and Deniz Yücel.
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