Since 1995, the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe is awarded every year to two personalities who have distinguished themselves by their commitment to the promotion of human rights, the development of the intercultural dialogue and the strengthening of solidarity between North and South. This year the Award is given to:

- for the North, to Boris Tadić, President of the Republic of Serbia, in recognition of his political action for the reconciliation of the Balkans and the integration of his country in the process of European construction. His support for international justice has been a determining factor in the arrest and transfer to The Hague, of the last two criminals sought by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 2011 (Ratko Mladić et Goran Hadžić);

- or the South, to Souhayr Belhassen (Tunisia), President of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), in recognition of her long-time commitment in favour of human rights in the world, as well as for her fight for the rights of women in developing countries. Her path is both an example and symbol of the major role played by the women in the historic changes which have taken place in 2011 in the Arabic world.

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