Minister Freeland honored with Warburg Award

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland was presented with the Eric M. Warburg Award by Atlantik-Brücke in recognition of her strong commitment to CETA, the trade agreement between Canada and the EU. She is the first Canadian to receive the Warburg Award, which is bestowed for special services to the transatlantic partnership. The laudation was held by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. Around 280 distinguished guests attended the award ceremony.

Explaining the choice of award winner, Friedrich Merz, Chairman of Atlantik-Brücke said: “With CETA, Canada and Europe are setting an example for transatlantic cooperation and multilateralism. Without the outstanding commitment of Chrystia Freeland, this landmark agreement would not have been concluded.” Max Warburg, member of the Atlantik-Brücke board and son of Eric Warburg (after whom the award is named), praised not only Freeland’s political achievements, but also her personal integrity: “Chrystia Freeland is unwavering in her moral principles. She demonstrates courage in confronting even powerful opponents and stands up for her values.”

In her acceptance speech, Minister Chrystia Freeland said: “Germany, the European Union, and the transatlantic alliance have been at the heart of the rules-based international order for more than 70 years. Together with its European allies, Canada continues to defend the values we hold dear, including human rights and democracy, and to promote free and fair trade as essential for maintaining peace among nations. In the case of CETA, the agreement is delivering economic opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic while also pushing back against emerging threats of protectionism that we are seeing around the world.”

“Together with its European allies, Canada continues to defend the values we hold dear.”Chrystia Freeland

Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pointed out in his laudation:”Chrystia Freeland has turned Canadian foreign policy into a “brand” that stands out clearly and recognizably from the rest of the diplomatic chorus. She has focused foreign policy – particularly during the G7 presidency – on clear priorities and at the same time anchored it even more strongly in multilateralism. She has taken a courageous stand against the trend towards isolationism and protectionism: For more international cooperation, not less. She is more than worthy of the Eric M. Warburg Award.”