Since 1950 the Charlemagne Prize has been awarded for special contributions to European integration. The jury praised Dalia Grybauskaite's courage and discipline in overcoming widespread uncertainty at home and leading her country through the financial crisis, and closer to European Monetary Union. Dalia Grybauskaite has been Lithuania's president since 2009. After her country joined the European Union, she began working at the European Commission, first in education and culture, and later as budget commissioner.