The 2024 EGTC Award was presented to the Eurodistrict SaarMoselle during the Art of Cooperation conference in Budapest, a flagship event focused on the future of European territorial cooperation. This biennial recognition by the European Committee of the Regions celebrates innovative actions by European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs) that foster cross-border collaboration and integration across Europe.

This year’s accolade was awarded for the Babylingua project, an initiative to establish cross-border childcare facilities in the Franco-German region. The highlight of the project is Kita Salut, the first cross-border early childhood facility in the Saar-Moselle Eurodistrict, which opened its doors in Saarbrücken in September 2023. With a total investment of €10 million, including €2.3 million from the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg Grande Région programme, the school accommodates 133 children, 33 of whom are in its crèche and kindergarten for children aged 0-3.

What sets Kita Salut apart is its bilingual and bicultural approach, enabling children to grow up immersed in both French and German languages and cultures from the earliest stages of life. The project brought together local and regional authorities on both sides of the border, demonstrating a collaborative spirit that has become a benchmark for cross-border success. The Babylingua initiative was praised as a shining example of how EGTCs can transform shared visions into practical solutions that address local needs.

The Art of Cooperation conference, organised as the official partner event of the Hungarian Presidency, in partnership with the Széchenyi Programme Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Hungary, the European Committee of the Regions, the Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives (CESCI), the Association of European Border Regions, and the Hungarian Development Promotion Office, provided an ideal platform to celebrate this achievement. The award was handed over by Pavel Branda, Deputy Mayor of Rádlo, member of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and of the steering board of the European cross-border platform which was equally launched at the event in Budapest. Mr Branda highlighted the role that the EGTC, and the groupings in general play in improving the living conditions of border and cross-border citizens whom the babies of the awarded cross-border kindergarten will become.