Brussels, 27/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 27 March, the European Commission launched the 16th Lorenzo Natali Prize, which is awarded annually to journalists defending human rights, democracy and development. The prize, named after a former European Commission Vice-President, has hitherto been awarded to journalists selected by an independent jury for the quality of their written reports or articles. This year entries may come from journalists using any medium: radio, television, written press and on-line.
Journalists wishing to enter may do so up to 30 June 2008 at http://www.nataliprize2008.eu .
“The Lorenzo Natali Prize is a symbol of the freedom of speech that it is our duty to promote. Without information, without the media, the world loses its memory of the past, its awareness of the present and the debate about the future. That is why, through the Lorenzo Natali Prize, Europe offers its support to journalists who speak out to defend development, democracy and human rights,” said European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel.
Prizes will be awarded in November at a special ceremony to be attended by European Commissioner Louis Michel during the third European Development Days (15-17 November) in Strasbourg. The principal theme of these days will be the media and development (with regional and local authorities as development players also a major theme).
To help in organising the Lorenzo Natali Prize, the European Commission is this year working with Reporters Without Borders, winner of the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought in 2005, and World Association of Newspapers, which has a total of over 18 000 publications across five continents. (A.N.)