Watch the video about Nijmegen in brief.

Jacques Delors is to be the first laureate to receive the Treaties of Nijmegen medal. The former chairman of the European Commission (1985 – 1995) will receive the medal in recognition of his role in the development of European unity. Not only did Delors take into account the economic aspect of European unity, but he also gave particular consideration to social coherence in Europe and solidarity between rich and poor parts of the continent. He had a key role following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and in the introduction of the euro. This was announced by Mayor Thom de Graaf in the evening of Monday 4 January during Nijmegen City Council’s New Year Reception. Delors will be presented with the medal in Nijmegen on 15 March 2010, when he will also give the Treaties of Nijmegen lecture.

The Treaties of Nijmegen medal will be awarded for the first time ever in 2010, and every two years thereafter. The recipient will be a key international figure who has worked hard for and/or shown commitment to peace on the European continent and the international role and position of Europe. The Treaties of Nijmegen (1678 – 1679) can be seen as one of the first examples of European agreement and cooperation. The Treaties of Nijmegen medal is an initiative of NijmegenCity Council, the RadboudUniversityNijmegen, Royal Haskoning and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Upon being appointed chairman of the European Commission in 1985, a position which he held until 1995, Jacques Delors was Economics and Finance Minister in France. His key goal was to create a European common market, and he made great efforts to open borders between European member states, since according to his vision economic integration should precede European unity. Not only did Delors take into account the economic aspect of European unity, but he also gave particular consideration to social coherence in Europe and the promotion of solidarity between rich and poor parts of the continent.

What could be considered Delors’ most important role came about straight after the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989. Europe was in a state of confusion, even more so after the German Chancellor Kohl announced his aim in the Bundestag on 28 November 1989: unity and reunification of East and West Germany. Delors succeeded in turning German and French interests into European ones. He then prepared the Maastricht Treaty (1992), which included the decision to introduce the euro and agreements about a common foreign policy, which the European Council was responsible for.

Only now, a year after the outbreak of the financial and economic crisis, does it become apparent just how important a role Delors has played in Europe. As a politician, he utilised the opportunities available to him with the creation of the European common market and the euro, and therefore left a legacy for the future.

In many European countries, the Treaties of Nijmegen have gone down as a key event in European history. In 1678 and 1679, Nijmegen played host to negotiators from dozens of European countries and city-states in order to bring an end to various wars on the European continent. Spain, France, Sweden, the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire to name but a few signed peace treaties that have become known internationally as the "Treaties of Nijmegen". Dialogue, tolerance and negotiations at a European level led to peace.

This lesson from the past was the motivation for creating a link between the Treaties of Nijmegen and the present day. With the presentation of the Treaties of Nijmegen medal, Nijmegen City Council, the Radboud University and Royal Haskoning Nijmegen are committing themselves to the values of peace and tolerance in relation to the future of Europe. The laureate will reveal his vision on the future of Europe during the presentation of the medal on 15 March. A number of debates will also take place around that date.