Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kalesnikava received the Charlemagne Prize in person on 14 March, four years after being awarded the honour while imprisoned for standing up to President Aliaksandr Lukashenka.
Kalesnikava, 43, was released in December 2025 after spending more than five years in prison following her role in the 2020 protests against Lukashenka's disputed re-election.