A call for applications for the 2018 Lorenzo Natali Media Prize, named after the former European Commission vice-president for development, was launched online on Monday 5 February and will be open until 9 March.
Each year, the prize is awarded to journalists who have done outstanding reporting work on development topics. The 2018 edition of the prize will be on sustainable development.
Applications may be from journalists working in television, radio and the written or online press in five regions (Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Arab world, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Pacific).
The prize has two categories based on age groups: one for those aged 21 to 26, and one for those aged 27 years plus. For each category there will be a winner from each region. A “grand winner” will be selected from among the regional winners, and an additional thematic prize will be awarded for work focused on the elimination of violence against women and girls. Selection of winners per category will be carried out by a grand jury of renowned journalists.
In a press release, the European commissioner for international cooperation and development states: “In an era of disinformation, fake news and digital algorithms, we need professional and fact-based journalism more than ever”.
In 2015, the Commission had decided to open this prize to bloggers who are not necessarily professional journalists (see EUROPE 11310). For applications, see: http://bit.ly2rQC5Ky . (Original in French by Aminata Niang)