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Brussels, 30 April 2010

World Press Freedom Day: Commission launches 2010 Lorenzo Natali Prize for development journalism.

On World Press Freedom Day on 3 May the Commission will officially launch the Lorenzo Natali Prize for 2010. The international prize is awarded in partnership with Reporters Without Borders and the World Association of Newspapers to the best journalism on development, democracy and human rights.

The European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, said: “Through the Lorenzo Natali Prize, the European Commission recognises journalists who contribute to the cause of development, democracy and human rights. Many work in what are often difficult conditions, but the light they shed on the realities on the ground is key to raising public awareness of the importance of development policy. That is why we wish to help them to continue providing information in the cause of combating poverty.”

The Natali Prize is an international prize awarded each year since 1992 to the best journalistic work on development, democracy and human rights. It is open to journalists working in TV, radio, the press and online. In 2009 more than 1 000 journalists from 130 countries took part.

Interested journalists have until 31 August 2010 to apply (http://www.nataliprize2010.eu). The winners will be announced at an award ceremony in Brussels in December, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs.

Prizes worth a total of €60 000 will be awarded to 17 journalists in the different sections: Africa, Europe, Arab World/Middle East, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean.

Background:

The Lorenzo Natali Prize has been an integral part of the Commission’s development policy for 20 years.  Defending freedom of expression, democracy, human rights and development is a way of promoting good governance, peace and improving living conditions in the poorest countries.

For the organisation of the Lorenzo Natali Prize, the European Commission is once again working with two of the most prestigious world press associations:

–       Reporters Without Borders, winner of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2005;

–       WAN IFRA – World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, which represents over 18 000 publications in all five continents.

Lorenzo Natali (1922-1990) was a European Commissioner and then a Vice President of the Commission between 1976 and 1989, with special responsibility for cooperation and development between 1985 and 1989.

More information at: http://www.nataliprize2010.eu

Contacts:

Catherine Ray, Spokesperson: +32 2 296 99 21 or +32 498 96 99 21 – catherine.ray@ec.europa.eu