The laudatio for the award ceremony was given by former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, first recipient of the award. Ms. von Schnurbein remarked that Europe Day, marking the Schuman declaration in 1950, was a significant day to receive the prize as the French politician had given detailed report of the Shoah to the French resistance already in 1942. Thanking ELNET she said:

“Schuman had received firsthand accounts and he spoke up, he blew the shofar – because he followed his conscience."

The ELNET Shofar Voice of Conscience award symbolizes that call to action.