The Prize

You may send a copy of the essay you wish to be considered between January and September to the Charles Veillon Foundation.

It will be read by three members of the Jury. If these three readers react positively to the work, it will be added to the Jury’s list of titles eligible to receive the European Essay Prize.

The Jury does not provide feedback on essays. Copies are not sent back once received.

Postal address:
Fondation Charles Veillon
Avenue de l’Eglise-Anglaise 18
CH – 1006 Lausanne

We will consider as an essay a work that shares a problem related, in any relevant way, to contemporary issues, allowing the reader to position itself in relation to this problem, to develop its own reflection and, perhaps, to take action.

The Prize awards essays:

• encouraging dialogue and the exchange of practices and ideas
• promoting openness to experience: based on the model of scientific experience, a continual questioning of the thinking process
• adopting an accessible and elegant narrative form
• integrating a spiritual dimension (more secular than confessional) which gives meaning and orientation to the behaviour of individuals belonging to the same shared world.

The jury is formed by members from very diverse backgrounds.

• Caroline Abu Sa’Da, Director General of SOS MEDITERRANÉE Suisse
• Lukas Bärfuss, writer, essayist, playwright
• Joëlle Kuntz, writer and journalist
• Antonio Loprieno, egyptologist and linguist, President of the Académies suisses des sciences
• Gesa Schneider, Director of the House of Literature in Zurich
• Michael Wirth, cultural advisor, History and German teacher

Council Members of the Foundation (the members of the Council are members of the Jury):

• Lucie Kaennel, theologian and judaist, translator
• Josephine Macintosh, lawyer
• Francesco Panese, vice-president of the Foundation, professor of social studies of science and medicine at the University of Lausanne
• Cyril Veillon, president of the Foundation
• Magali Veillon, publisher
• Jacques Zwahlen, lawyer

• Christiane Asté, theologian, (1999-2010), Secretary General from 2004 to 2007
• Andris Barblan, historian (1973-2004), Secretary General
• Ahmed Benani, political scientist and anthropologist of religions (2007-2016)
• Edmond Bertholet, notary (1972-1993), Vice President
• Jean-Charles Biaudet, historian (1981-1998)
• François Bondy, journalist and novelist (1972-1991)
• Bernard Böschenstein, professor of German literature (1999-2018)
• Iso Camartin, author, publicist and anchorman (1991-1994)
• Fernand Cardis, physician (1972-1986)
• Stéphanie Cudré-Mauroux, curator at the Swiss Literary Archives (2005-2017)
• Pierre du Bois, historian (1998-2001)
• Jacques Freymond, historian (1986-1993)
• Claude Frochaux, publisher (1994-2010)
• Ghislaine Glasson-Deschaumes, journalist, researcher in political sciences (1995-1998)
• Ferdinand Gonseth, philosopher (1972-1975)
• Jean-Pierre Hocké, economist, diplomat (1999-2021)
• Henri Isliker, physician (1980-2000)
• Georg Kohler, philosopher, publicist and author (1998-2007)
• Hugo Loetscher, writer (1986-1997)
• Martin Meyer, journalist, publicist and essayist (1995-2000)
• Alison de Puymege, historian (1986-1993)
• Jean-Pierre Rageth, theologian (1997-2010)
• Jean Rossel, physicist (1976-1997)
• Denis de Rougemont, writer, philosopher (1972-1985)
• Alain Schaerlig, mathematician and economist (1972-1975, 1981-2002)
• Jean Starobinski, writer, historian, physician (1978-1980)
• Hubert Thüring, professor of German literature (2007-2020)
• Jean Vallat, economist (1972-1994)
• Pascal Veillon, pastor (1972-2014), President
• André Veillon, engineer (1972-2006)
• Jean-Claude Veillon, businessman, industrialist (1972-2007)