EURORDIS Black Pearl Awards Patrons & Committee
We are grateful for the ongoing support of all of our Patrons.
Honorary Chairpersons
2021 – David Maria Sassoli, President of the European Parliament
2019 – Pavel Telička, Vice-President of the European Parliament
2018 – Georges Dassis, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
2016 – Jerzy Buzek, Polish politician, former Prime Minister of Poland and former President of the European Parliament
2015- Giovanni La Via, Chair of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, European Parliament
2014 – Martin Schulz, former President of the European Parliament
2012 & 2013 – Herman van Rompuy, former Prime Minister of Belgium and first President of the European Council.
Honorary Patrons
We sincerely thank the Honorary Patrons of the 2020 EURORDIS Black Pearl Awards for supporting the rare disease cause.
Mrs Tamara Vučić, Spouse of the President of the Republic of Serbia
Mrs Michelle Muscat, Spouse of the Former Prime Minister of Malta
Adam Vojtěch, Minister of Health, Czech Republic
Joe FitzPatrick, Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, Scotland
David Lega, Member of the European Parliament, Sweden
H.E. Ray Azzopardi, Ambassador of Malta to the Kingdom of Belgium
H.E. Urs Bucher, Head of Mission of Switzerland to the EU
H.E. Arlette Conzemius, Ambassador of Luxembourg to the Kingdom of Belgium
Black Pearl Committee
Princess Anne de Ligne, Belgium
Reem Boustany, Member of the Brussels Bar, Belgium
Marlene Haffner, President & CEO, Haffner Associates, USA
Victoria Hedley, University of Newcastle
Claudia Hirawat, Executive Chair of VOZ Advisors, USA
Prof. Alberto Pereira, Leiden University Medical Centre & Co-ordinator, Endo-ERN
Prof. Nicoline Hoogerbrugge, Radboud University Medical Centre & Co-ordinator ERN GENTURIS
Rodrigue Laurent, Press Officer
Stéphanie Hoffmann-Gendebien, GH Partners
Bruno Sepodes, University of Lisbon, Portugal & Vice Chair, Committee of Human Medicinal Products, EMA
Violeta Stoyanova-Beninska, Chair of Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products, EMA
EURORDIS Black Pearl Awards PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
Find out all about the individuals, organisations and companies who dedicate their lives to making a difference for the rare disease community.