The Europe Prize: Journalism for a Changing World
Theme 2003: Reporting European and Global Drug Issues
The Europe Prize: Journalism for a Changing World promotes excellence in journalism and fosters wider understanding and awareness of the contribution that Europe makes to the quality of international policy and governance in the field of global social, environmental and economic issues.
In 2003 the Prize will be awarded for journalism focusing on the social, economic and political impact of drug policy in Europe and issues related to the development of a global drug strategy.
The 2003 competition seeks to promote better understanding within civil society and media about existing drug control mechanisms and the important role that Europe plays in defining drug policy worldwide.
There is one simple aim shared by those fighting the scourge of social dislocation caused by the criminal exploitation of the illegal drugs industry - to eliminate drug-related crime and the harm it causes when it comes to health care and other social conditions. But there are sharply different views on how best to achieve this common objective.
The Prize this year rewards journalism that sheds light on all aspects of this charged debate including the impact on people's lives, policing and health care, while helping to clarify the policy standards required for the elaboration of a drug strategy that benefits young people, the social fabric of society and community health.
In so doing, the Prize recognises and promotes all shades of opinion while underpinning the values of editorial independence, professionalism and journalists' ethics, and media diversity.
The Prize, which is this year co-funded by the Network of European Foundations' (NEF) European Drug Policy Fund, is driven by the core values of media professionalism and is organised by journalists themselves through the International Federation of Journalists and the European Journalism Centre and is supported by the Résidence Palace International Press Centre and leading newspapers in Europe.
Who can enter?
The Europe Prize: Journalism for a Changing World is open to print and on-line journalists employed by the media of the countries of the Council of Europe. You should be a journalist who has written reports that focus on actions related to drug use and drugs policy. You must submit one entry published between 1 April 2002 and 30 April 2003.
How to enter
It is easy to enter. Simply print out and fill in the Application Form and mail or fax it along with a copy of your entry to the address listed below.
Print journalists must supply full-page samples of the work. Where an original sample is not available, a high quality photocopy will be accepted.
On-line journalists must send their work on a floppy disk or CD-ROM in HTML format OR an Internet address that can be viewed (unaltered) for judging from July to September 2003. A senior editorial manager must certify that the work was published on an Internet site on the said date.
All entries must be submitted in an official language of the Prize or with an adequate translation into one of these languages. Official languages are: English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.
The deadline for entries is 31 July 2003. There are no entry fees. Please read the Rules of the Competition before submitting your entry.
The Prize
An independent seven-person jury made up of respected media professionals and experts will examine the entries and choose one overall winner and two runners-up. All nominees will be special guests of the International Federation of Journalists at the Prize-giving Ceremony in Brussels in October 2003.
All nominees will receive a Europe Prize: Journalism for a Changing World certificate and a financial award; EUR 8,000 for the overall winner and EUR 1,000 for each of the two runners-up.
New
Reporter from The Guardian Scoops 2003 Europe Prize for Journalism
Report of the 2003 Europe Prize Jury
Winning articles of the 2003 Europe Prize, by Nick Davies
More information
Rules of the Competition
Application Form
Partners
Listen to a recording of the press conference held in Brussels on March 28 during which the Europe Prize was launched, at Press-Conferences.net
Please send your entry to:
The Europe Prize: Journalism Prize Office
Att.: Ann-Christina Hansen
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
International Press Centre Résidence Palace
Second Floor, Bloc C
155, rue de la Loi
B-1040 Brussels
Belgium
Phone: +32 2 235 22 12
Fax: +32 2 235 22 19
E-mail: projects@ifj.org
All entries should be clearly marked The Europe Prize: Journalism for a Changing World.