Council of Europe Plaque of Honour

Dear Mrs Cegielska,

I have pleasure to inform you that the Sub-Committee on the Europe Prize proposed, during its meeting in Strasbourg on 20 April 1998, to award your town the Plaque of Honour of the Council of Europe. This proposal was confirmed the next day by the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities. This award is to be considered as a recognition of the efforts of your town to propagate the idea of European unity. According to the Statutes it is presented to certain municipalities or other territorial authorities which have already held the Flag of Honour for several years and is ranking just below the Europe Prize, the highest distinction that can be bestowed on a European town by the Council of Europe. This Prize is presented only once a year. The Plaque of Honour was also awarded to twelve other European municipalities, namely: Kapfenberg in Austria, Baccarat, Quimperlé and Rennes in France, Aalen, Geilenkirchen, Gernsbach, Köln and the District of Central Franconia in Germany, Ronchi dei Legionari in Italy, Notthingham and Wirral in Great Britain. The Plaque of Honour is presented to the municipality either by a member of the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities or an honorary member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, at a public ceremony organised by the municipality (see Regulations attached). As Chairman of the Sub-Committee on the Europe Prize, allow me to extend my warmest congratulations to your municipality whose efforts were considered worthy of this distinction and to all those who contributed to it. With my sincere congratulations on your award and hoping that Gdynia will continue to be so active in European matters, I remain