Emperor-Maximilian-Prize

What does the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize stand for?

Shaping Europe together, creatively and sustainably : That is the aim of the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize. This Europe lives from people who put the European idea into practice through numerous projects and initiatives - in all areas of life beyond local, regional and national borders.

The Emperor-Maximilian-Prize recognizes and supports this living togetherness and offers incentives for further concepts. Every two years, the City of Innsbruck awards the prize of 10,000 euros to a winning project.

Im Bild ist die Kaiser-Maximilian-Medaille in Form eines silbernen Talers zu sehen. Auf dem Taler sieht man einen Mann, Kaiser Maximilian, auf einem geschmückten Pferd.

The winning project receives the Kaiser Maximilian Medal, a certificate and 10,000 euros for the project.© Stadt Innsbruck

Young-European-connected

With the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize, lighthouse projects are sought under the focus "young-European-connected", which offer young people in particular an example of how they can shape the future of European society. Across municipal, regional and national borders.

The target group are projects by individuals or groups from member states of the European Union or the Council of Europe that deal with issues that European society will face in the present and future - and that inspire young people to deal with these issues, develop joint solutions and promote European cooperation.

Experience Europe on site

Tailored to the respective winning project and in cooperation with local associations/institutions and the Youth Advisory Council of the City of Innsbruck, a program will also be offered to accompany the award ceremony. This is intended to offer local young people and children in particular an insight into the diverse possibilities of European cooperation. In various formats, they can experience the initiatives up close and try out their own skills.

Who awards the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize?

Originally established in 1998 to honor deserving personalities in European municipal and regional politics, the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize was relaunched in 2019 to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of its patron saint. With this award, the City of Innsbruck recognizes and supports projects and initiatives that demonstrate how the future of Europe can be shaped together, creatively and sustainably.

Johannes Anzengruber - incl. quote Emperor-Maximilian-Prize

"Where innovation is to emerge, the free play of ideas is needed. By recognizing outstanding projects, we bring the individual creativity of young role models into the spotlight. Such role models motivate and inspire us as a European community." - Mayor Johannes Anzengruber, BSc Mag. © C. Forcher

Who supports the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize?

Eminent personalities from European institutions take on the patronage of the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize. With their commitment, they send a strong signal for the promotion of projects that advance Europe.

The patrons consist of:

Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions
Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe
Gunn Marit Helgesen, President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions
Albert Castellanos Maduell, President of the Assembly of European Regions

"Our future is in the hands of our young European generations and it is our duty to spare no effort in empowering them and equipping them with all the tools to strengthen their capacity for innovation and creativity. We need to invest in future generations to create a stronger and more resilient Europe." - Gunn Marit Helgesen, President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and Patron of the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize 2026© Rat der Gemeinden und Regionen Europas
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"The Assembly of European Regions is proud to support the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize 2026. As an organization dedicated to promoting the active participation of citizens, especially young people, in shaping the present and the future of Europe, we know how important it is to promote youth-led initiatives that pave the way for positive change. By encouraging young people to take the lead, we are fostering a generation capable of building a more sustainable, inclusive and united Europe." - Albert Castellanos Maduell, President of the Assembly of European Regions and Patron of the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize 2026.© Versammlung der Regionen Europas
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How do I apply for the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize?

During the application period, you will find the application form and the application instructions in English here:

Application form Application instructions 2026 (German)Guide for Applicants 2026 (German)

What is the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize?

The Emperor-Maximilian-Prize of the City of Innsbruck recognizes and supports projects and initiatives from all areas of life that put the European idea into practice at regional and municipal level. The prize money of 10,000 euros is earmarked for the winning project.

Who can apply?

The Emperor-Maximilian-Prize is aimed at all projects and initiatives at regional and municipal level that make cross-border efforts to promote European coexistence. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and a citizen of one of the 27 EU member states and/or one of the 46 member states of the Council of Europe. Details on the application requirements can be found in the application instructions or in the Guide for Applicants.

When can I apply?

The next tender will begin on January 22, 2025 at midnight and end on March 27, 2025 at midnight.

How can I apply?

Applications must be submitted online during the application period using the application form in English.

Application form

Where can I find the tender documents?

During the tender period you will find the tender documents in 35 languages here.

German English (German)Italian Français - French (German)Azərbaycan - Azerbaijani (German)Bosanski - Bosnian (German)Català Catalan (German)český Czech (German)Dansk Danish (German)Eesti - Estonian (German)Español - Spanish (German)Hrvatski - Croatian (German)Icelandic - Icelandic (German)Latvijas - Latvian (German)Lietuvos - Lithuanian (German)Magyar - Hungarian (German)Nederlands - Dutch (German)Norsk - Norwegian (German)Polski - Polish (German)Português - Portuguese (German)Românesc - Romanian (German)Slovenski - Slovenian (German)Slovenský - Slovak (German)Srpski - Serbian Latin (German)Suomalainen - Finnish (German)Svenska - Swedish (German)Türk - Turkish (German)ελληνικά - Greek (German)български - Bulgarian (German)македонски - Macedonian (German)српски - Serbian Cyrillic (German)український - Ukrainian (German)Црногорски језик - Montenegrin (German)ქართული - Georgian (German)հայերեն - Armenian (German)

How is the winning project determined?

Following the application, the submissions that meet the application requirements will be passed on to an award jury for assessment. The jury is made up of representatives of the City of Innsbruck, the Province of Tyrol, the Committee of the Regions (CoR), the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRAE), the Assembly of European Regions (AER), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the University of Innsbruck. The winning project will be selected in a jury meeting.

When will the award ceremony take place?

The Emperor-Maximilian-Prize will be awarded in Innsbruck in spring 2026.

Which project won the last Emperor-Maximilian-Prize?

in 2023, the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize went to the "Green Steps" project from Portugal. José Rodrigues and his team from "Teatro Metaphora" deal with the topic of sustainability in a very creative way. Every year, the initiative works with young people to transform entire streets with upcycling artworks. In this way, they draw attention to the problem of environmental pollution caused by packaging materials and advocate a more conscious approach to recyclable materials.

The winners of the Emperor-Maximilian-Prize 2023

View on Vimeo

School competition and workshop

Together with the award-winning project, an upcycling competition was also held at all Tyrolean schools under the motto "Let flowers bloom". Some of the numerous entries were exhibited at the award ceremony. The four winning classes from the respective age groups were able to look forward to 500 euros for the class treasury. In addition, two school classes worked with José Rodrigues in a workshop to design a Tyrolean eagle out of tin cans.