Juncker awarded prestigious Sigillum Magnum

(CS) Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker was awarded the prestigious Sigillum Magnum, the highest distinction of the University of Bologna, for his exceptional work in the European Union.

The honour was also bestowed on Romano Prodi, former Prime Minister of Italy and former President of the European Commission, as well as former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl at the ceremony on Tuesday.

The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is considered the oldest university in the Western world, and carries the name Alma Mater Studiorum, “nourishing mother of studies,” since 2000.

Juncker was honoured was his “exceptional career as Prime Minister, as well as co-founder of the single European currency, co-signatory of the Maastricht treaty and president of the euro group.”

As part of the ceremony Juncker took part in a seminar on the future of Europe, as well as debating the euro and how to tackle the public debt crisis.

Other famous laureates of the Sigillum Manum include Sandro Pertini, Johannes Rau, Jacques Delors, Pope John-Paul II, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Shimon Peres and Simone Veil.