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Istanbul Media Days 2011

May 16, 2011 • Istanbul Media Days 2011 • disabled comments
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I Istanbul Media Days, Bilgi University Istanbul: Communicating Democrcy – Democratizing Communication
Istanbul 16 – 20 May 2011

Istanbul Media Days – event by South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)

Partners
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) in cooperation with:
Dogan Media International,
Istanbul Bilgi University
University of Vienna
City of Istanbul
Bilgi Medya
Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria (BMEIA)
South East and Central Europe PR Organisation (SECEPRO)
International Academy (IA)
International Institute- International Media Center (II-IMC)

SEEMO ADA Conference, 14-16 September 2010 Vienna

September 14, 2010 • Dialogue South East Europe 2010 • disabled comments
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The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East and Central Europe is pleased to announce the DialogueConference Media in South East and Central Europe and EU: Hate Speech and Stereotypes in the Media, Role of Media in Conflicts and War, Professional Standards and Education of Journalists, which will be held in Vienna, Austria, from 14 – 16 September 2010.

The Conference is being organised by SEEMO in cooperation with the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) – Austrian Development Agency (ADA). SEEMO is expecting over 70 leading media professionals as participants that will have the opportunity to take part on 14 September on a one day gathering in Bratislava, and than on 15 and 16 September in Vienna. In cooperation with long year SEEMO partner Erste Foundation (Erste Stiftung) a reception-dinner will be organised on Wednesday 15 September 2010 in the evening. One of the confirmed speakers of the SEEMO conference is Erhard Busek, Jean Monnet Professor ad personam, President of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, Coordinator of SECI – Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, Former Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe and President of the European Forum Alpbach.

“This is an important gathering for exchanging experiences amongst the leading media professionals in South East and Central Europe” pointed outBoris Bergant, former European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Vice President, former RTV Slovenija Deputy Director and SEEMO Board President.

SEEMO Board Member Marta Palics from Novi Sad, Serbia, said: “Hate speech is a reality in the region, the war in the nineties brought a lot of unprofessional behaviours in the media scene in former Yugoslavia. It is vital for SEEMO to follow up this topic.”

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic added: “SEEMO organised a similar conference in Vienna in 2006 and it is very important that media professionals from the region are meeting again in Vienna. The fact that the meeting is going to be held in the city where the headquarters of SEEMO is located, is of particular importance for our organisation.”

Romanian journalist Adrian Mogos wins the CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism 2010 Special mentions to Iryna Khalip and Lydia Pavlova

July 2, 2010 • CEI Award 2010 • disabled comments

The Central European Initiative (CEI) and the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) are pleased to announce that Adrian Mogos from Romania is the winner of the CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism 2010.

On 2 July 2010, the international jury met in Trieste at the CEI Headquarters and examined a total of 24 nominations from 11 CEI Member States. The personal risks taken while performing the duty, the quality of reporting as well as the impact on society of the messages conveyed were the main criteria taken into account by the Jury.

It was unanimously decided that the Award should go to Adrian Mogos, investigative journalist from Romania. With this selection, the Jury intended to promote the high-quality cross-border investigative journalism carried out by Adrian Mogos, cooperating with colleagues in different countries while raising important issues to the public awareness. His work represents a good example for the young generation of journalists. Adrian Mogos will receive the Award of 5.000 EUR, offered by the CEI, on the occasion of the traditional CEI Journalists Forum, to be held in Warsaw, Poland, at the end of September 2010.
The jury was composed of Norbert Mappes Niediek, free-lance South East Europe correspondent based in Graz (Austria); Franca Roiatti, foreign affairs desk, Panorama weekly, Milan (Italy); Andrzej Godlewski, Commentator, Polska The Times, Warsaw (Poland); Marina Constantinoiu, editor-in-chief, Jurnalul National daily, Bucharest (Romania). Drago Hedl, editor and journalist of the daily Jutarnji list, Zagreb (Croatia), and Besar Likmeta, BIRN Editor-Project Manager, Tirana (Albania) – the winners of the editions 2008 and 2009 of the Award – were also members of the Jury. The meeting was also attended by Oliver Vujovic (SEEMO Secretary General) acting as advisor together with Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter (CEI Secretary General) and Barbara Fabro (CEI Senior Executive Officer).

Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter highlighted the commitment of the CEI to media issues in its Member States, especially with a view to encourage the role of independent media and give particular credit to those journalists who frequently exercise their profession under difficult conditions. According to Oliver Vujovic, investigative journalists are important for democratic developments of each country in the CEI / SEEMO region.

Adrian Mogos was born in 1974 in Cluj – Napoca, Romania. Currently, he works for the Romanian daily Jurnalul National. He is member of the executive committee of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and the Romanian Centre for Investigative Journalism. Mogos has published plenty of investigative reports on Romanian media, but has also worked on several regional investigative projects. Among the main achievements as investigative journalist the following deserve mentioning: Forged Identity – highway to EU story, which was published in mid-October 2009 in the Jurnalul National and an English version by Balkan Insight online publication. Afterwards, the story was largely republished throughout the CEI / SEEMO region in Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia/FYROM, Serbia and Italy. Another investigative story is The Fields of Terror – the New Slave Trade in the Heart of Europe, a joint production of Romanian, Moldavian and Ukrainian journalists under Adrian Mogos’ coordination. The story, published in December 2009, is a cross-border investigation about forced labour networks still active in some countries in Western Europe. Adrian Mogos produced many others investigative pieces on different topics: illegal deforestations in Romania, suspicious public tenders organized by the local authorities, abuse against Roma children, who are trafficked to UK etc.

Moreover, the Jury decided to award in 2010 a special mention to Iryna Khalip from Belarus and Lydia Pavlova from Bulgaria for their valuable contribution to investigative journalism in their own countries. For that, they will receive a CEI SEEMO diploma during the CEI Journalists Forum 2010.

III SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award 2010 Winning Award – Winner

May 25, 2010 • SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award 2010 • disabled comments

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), in cooperation with the BETA News Agency in Belgrade, Serbia, is pleased to announce the support for the choice of the III SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award 2010.

The SEEMO Photo Human Rights Award 2010 went to Mahir Vranac, freelance, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina) “Protest poljoprivrednika – Podjela hrane”, “Farmers’ Protest – Distribution of Food”, 25 September 2009, Sarajevo, Bosna and Hercegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The photograph “The rope” from freelancer Samir Delic, and the photograph “Marenda” from photographer Nemanja Pancic working for Kurir Daily were close selections of the SEEMO jury.

Other selections of the jury SEEMO jury include the photographs from; Patrik Macek, Agency Pixsell, Croatia, Andrija Ilic, Blic, Serbia, Jasmin Brutus, Foto Sluzba Avaz, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jure Miskovic, CROPIX, Croatia, Zorana Jevtic, Kurir, Serbia, Sasa Colic, Das Magazin, Switzerland, Igor Marinkovic, Vecernje Novosti, Serbia, Damir Sencar, HINA, Croatia, Igor Pavicevic, Press, Serbia, Nikola Besevic, BETA, Serbia, Luka Zekovic, Vijesti, Montenegro, Armenija Zajmi Besevic, BETA, Serbia, Milos Miskov, Pravda, Serbia, Marko Djurica, Reuters, Blic, Serbia, Nebojša Raus, Blic, Serbia, Zoran Petrovic, BETA, Serbia, Dado Ruvic, REUTERS, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Stipe Marinovic, Vrime, Croatia, Goran Sljivic, Vecernje Novosti, Serbia, Igor Banskoliev, Nova Makedonija, Republic of Maceodina/FYROM and Miroslav Lavrencic, Narodne novine, Serbia.

For the third time, SEEMO is presenting the SEEMO Award for the Best Human Rights Photograph as part of the BETA Photograph of the Year Contest. The first winner of the SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award in 2008 was Maja Zlatevska (Dnevnik, Skopje) for the photograph Zatvor (Prison) and her contribution to the human rights struggle in the region. In 2008, SEEMO also issued a Certificate of Distinction to Marko Djurica (Blic/Reuters) for his photograph Liturgija (Liturgy). In 2009, the SEEMO jury chose the photograph, Sudbina (Destiny), by Nebojsa Radosavljevic-Raus, a freelance photographer from Kragujevac, Serbia.
The first prize for BETA Photograph of the Year 2010 goes to Sasa Colic, Das Magazin photographer from Switzerland, for the photograph Pursuit for Justice. The second prize goes to Marko Rupena, photographer for BETA from Serbia. The third prize goes to Aleksandar Dimitrijevic, Blic photographer from Serbia. A Special Telekom Prize goes to Marko Risovic, Trident Media Group from Serbia. And a Special Raiffeisen Prize goes to Vadim Ghirda, AP photographer from Romania.

The Special French Culture Center Prize was granted to photographer Ivan Dervisevic from Serbia.

SEEMO Photo Human Rights Award – BETA Photograph of the Year Competition.

For the third time, SEEMO will present the annual SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award. The competition for the SEEMO award is part of the BETA Photograph of the Year Competition.

This is the 7th consecutive competition BETA is organising. All professional photo reporters from the countries of South East Europe are invited to participate.

The competition will remain open until 17 April 2010.

Prizes awarded by BETA in the competition are monetary: the first prize is worth EUR 1,000, the second EUR 750, and the third EUR 500. Special prizes will also be awarded.

The members of the BETA Jury will be Bela Szandelszsky (photo reporter for the AP news agency, Hungary) as chairman, Dragan Kujundzic (E-novine, Serbia), Vladimir Tatarevic (the Academy of Applied Arts, Belgrade), Zoran Ras (Blic, Belgrade), and Nenad Petrovic (BETA).

The competition’s general sponsor, Telekom Srbija, will grant a prize for the best sports photograph.

The French Culture Center will grant a special prize to a photographer from Serbia. The prize consists of a visit to the International Photo Journalism Festival held in the French city of Perpignan from 27 August to 8 September. Candidates for this prize can be up to 25 years old and must have a basic knowledge of French.

In addition, the South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) will award a special prize in the form of a golden plaque to the best human rights photograph. The best work in this area will be selected by a special SEEMO Jury.

An exhibition of selected works will open in the New Moment Gallery in Belgrade on 21 May 2010 and will last until 20 June 2010. As in previous years, BETA will publish a catalogue of all exhibited works.

The terms of the competition are posted at www.beta.co.rs/fotokonkurs

For all other information, contact fotokonkursinfo@gmail.com

BETA launched its competition for the best photograph of the year in 2004, on the occasion of the agency’s 10th anniversary. As part of this competition, SEEMO has, since 2008, presented the SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award. The first winner of the SEEMO award in 2008 was Maja Zlatevska (Dnevnik, Skopje) for the photograph “Zatvor” (“Prison”) and her contribution to the human rights struggle in the region. In 2008, SEEMO also issued a Certificate of Distinction to Marko Djurica (Blic/Reuters) for his photograph “Liturgija” (“Lithurgy”). In 2009, the SEEMO jury chose the photograph, Sudbina (Destiny), by Nebojsa Radosavljevic-Raus, a freelance photographer from Kragujevac, Serbia

All photographs selected for the SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award, including the SEEMO winning photo, as well as other BETA awarded photos, will be presented in the SEEMO South East and Central Europe Media Handbook – edition 2010 and the SEEMO Magazine De Scripto. The winning SEEMO human rights photo will also be presented on the SEEMO website.

SEEMO Human Rights Award 2010 To Christo Komarnitski from Bulgaria

May 25, 2010 • SEEMO Human Rights 2010 • disabled comments

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press institute (IPI), is pleased to announce that after careful deliberation the SEEMO Jury – composed of SEEMO Board members – has awarded the “SEEMO Human Rights Award 2010” to Christo Komarnitski, a political cartoonist for the Bulgarian daily newspaper Sega (Now) and for weeklies Sofia echo and Starshel (Hornet).

Komarnitski was born on 30 May in 1964 in Gabrovo, a town in the central part of Bulgaria.

Since 1997, Komarnitski has been working as a political cartoonist for the Bulgarian daily newspaper Sega (Now) and for weeklies Sofia echo and Starshel (Hornet). Komarnitski contributes regularly to the Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and many other periodicals.

During his career, Komarnitski has won many national and international prizes, including: Grand Prix 2009 – Bulgaria, Citation for Excellence – Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award (2007), Promotion Prize – DONG-A-LG, Eorea (2007), Third prize – Solin, Croatia (2005), Second Prize – Golden Keg 2005, Presov, Slovakia (2005), Third Prize – Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award (2004), First Prize – Fano Italy (1996), Fifth Prize – Taejon Korea (1996), Grand Prize – Bjelovar Croatia (1994), Honourable Mentions – Trento Italy, Tokyo Japan, Istanbul Turkey, Tolentino Italy, Prize of the Jury – Kiev, Ukraine and others.

“Very often a human rights defender can say much more with a single picture or cartoon than with tones of words. Thank goodness, we are not facing wars because of cartoons, but right now some cartoons are more precious and more worthy than many diplomatic interventions,” said Milena Dimitrova, SEEMO Board Member. For Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General “a good cartoonist is like a good journalist”, and “we should not forget that very often cartoonists are subjected to the same kind of pressure as journalists. SEEMO has, on a number of occasions in recent years, reacted in cases in South, East and Central Europe when local cartoonists have been pressured by the state or a religion organisation”.

The “SEEMO Human Rights Award” is an annual award dedicated to International Human Rights Day on 10 December. SEEMO has been presenting the Award since 2002.
In 2002, Christine von Kohl (died 2009), founder of the Vienna-based Balkan – ” Südosteuropäischer Dialog ” magazine, received the award. In 2003, the recipient was Nebojsa Popov, founder of the Belgrade-based magazine “Republika”. Fatos Lubonja, an Albanian author, received the award in 2004. Abdulhalim Dede, a journalist and member of the Turkish-Muslim minority living and working in Western Thrace, Greece, was the 2006 recipient. Seki Radoncic, from Montenegro, author of the book, ” The Fatal Freedom, ” and active in investigating war crimes in the former Yugoslavia, received the award in 2007. The award winner in 2008 was Spomenka Hribar, a Slovenian journalist, writer and human rights advocate. Pavol Demes, an internationally recognised NGO leader and the director of the Slovakia office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) was the award winner in 2009.

The SEEMO Human Rights Award 2010 will be presented to Christo Komarnitski on Friday, 10 December 2010, at 18:30 by Milena Dimitrova, SEEMO board member, and Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General at Mati, – D hall of the National Palace of Culture, 1 Bulgaria Square, Sofia 1463 in Bulgaria. To take part in this ceremony, please contact Mirjana Milosevic – E-mail:info@seemo.org or by phone: +43 1 512 90 11 12.

Omer Karabeg Announced Winner of Dr. Erhard Busek-SEEMO 2010 Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe

May 25, 2010 • Busek Award 2010 • disabled comments

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is pleased to announce the winner of the 2010 Dr. Erhard Busek-SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe.

After careful deliberation, the international 11-member jury chose veteran journalist and editor Omer Karabeg, in recognition of his continuous and outstanding contribution to better communication, exchange and cooperation in South East Europe, and especially in the West Balkan region. The jury based its decision on the integrity and personal dedication of Omer Karabeg in carrying out his work.

Omer Karabeg, born on 14 September 1940 in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, lives in Prague, in the Czech Republic, and is a journalist with the Radio Free Europe, (RFE/RL) South Slavic and Albanian Language Service program. He is also the founder and editor of the weekly RFE / RL radio show “The Bridge”.
“The Bridge” is a weekly program launched in 1994 during the war in former Yugoslavia which since its inception has helped foster dialogue between distinguished public persons from different countries in the region, and has tackled highly controversial issues. The most interesting discussions from “The Bridge” have been published in three books.

During his career, Omer Karabeg has received many awards for his work as a journalist, including the Jug Grizelj prize for promoting friendship and overcoming barriers between people in the region (2001), the award and first prize for editors and producers from the Serbian Union of Journalists for his organization and direction of reporting on the overthrow of Communist rule in Romania (1991), and the prize for best TV news at the festival of Yugoslav Radio and Television (1979 and 1989).

During the Milosevic regime he was blacklisted in 1992 as a ‘traitor-journalist’. The list was broadcast on prime-time news by then state-controlled TV Belgrade.

Presentation of the Dr. Erhard Busek SEEMO Award for Better Understanding to Omer Karabeg, Vienna, 15 October 2010 Speech: “Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends and colleagues, I am greatly honoured with this prestigious award. I am also very proud that I won this award in recognition of my contribution to the better understanding, exchange and cooperation in South East Europe, especially in the West Balkan region… read more”

The Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO Award for Better Understanding is sponsored at a value of 3000 EUR by Dr. Erhard Busek, Jean Monnet Professor ad personam, President of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, Coordinator of SECI – Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, former Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, and President of the European Forum Alpbach.

In 2002, the jury honoured the Croatian journalist, Denis Latin, with the award. In 2003, it was presented to Kemal Kurspahic, former editor-in-chief of the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje. Brankica Petkovic, Head of the Center for Media Policy at the Peace Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia, was the recipient of the 2005 award. Danko Plevnik, international relations columnist for the Croatian daily Slobodna Dalmacija in Split, was the winner of the 2006 award. Milena Dimitrova, commentator for the Bulgarian daily newspaper Trud in Sofia, was the winner in 2007, Brankica Stankovic, editor for TV B92 in Belgrade, Serbia was the winner in 2008, and Boris Bergant the co-founder of the broadcasting project Alpe Adria and former EBU deputy president was last year’s winner.

The eighth Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe will be presented on Friday, 15 October 2010, by Dr. Erhard Busek and by Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, at Haus der Musik, Seilerstätte 30, Vienna, Austria. To attend the event, please contact: info@seemo.org

Call for 2010 ‘Dr. Erhard Busek SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe’

The Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South, Eastern and Central Europe honours journalists, editors, media executives, media experts, writers and journalism trainers in South East Europe who have contributed to promoting better understanding in the region and who have worked towards ending minority-related problems, ethnic divisions, racism, xenophobia, gender discrimination, homophobia etc. The award is sponsored by Busek, who is also former vice-chancellor of Austria, Jean Monet Professor ad personam, president of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, coordinator of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), and former special coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. revious winners of the award include: 2011: Drago Hedl, (Croatia) journalist, Zagreb-based daily Jutarnji List. 2010: Omer Karabeg (Bosnia and Herzegovina), journalist, South Slavic and Albanian Language Service program of Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL), founder and editor of the radio program Most (Bridge), Prague, Czech Republic. 2009: Boris Bergant (Slovenia), co-founder of the Alpe Adria broadcasting project, former deputy-president of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and former deputy director of Radio Television Slovenia. 2008: Brankica Stankovic (Serbia), author of the TV program Insajder, produced by B92 Television, Belgrade, Serbia. 2007: Milena Dimitrova (Bulgaria), columnist, Sofia-based daily Trud, Bulgaria. 2006: Danko Plevnik (Croatia), columnist, Split-based daily Slobodna Dalmacija, 2005: Brankica Petkovic (Slovenia), head of the Center for Media Policy, Peace Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia. 2003: Kemal Kurspahic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), former editor-in-chief of the Sarajevo-based daily Oslobodjenje. 2002: Denis Latin (Croatia) author of the TV program Latinica, Croatian Radio Television (HRT)

Last week for Nominations for 2012 Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South, Eastern and Central Europe
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is pleased to announce the 2010 Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe. Sponsored by Dr. Erhard Busek – Jean Monet Professor ad personam, President of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, Coordinator of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), Former Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe and President of the European Forum Alpbach – the EUR 3,000 award will be presented to a journalist, editor, media executive, media expert, writer or journalism trainer in South Eastern Europe, who has promoted better understanding amongst peoples in the region and worked towards ending minority-related problems, ethnic division, racism, xenophobia, or who has helped in any other form to foster understanding in South East Europe.

In 2002, the international SEEMO jury chose Croatian journalist Denis Latin as the recipient of the 2002 Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe, in recognition of his outstanding contribution towards better understanding in South Eastern Europe through his TV show Latinica. In 2003, the award was presented to Kemal Kurspahic, former editor-in-chief of the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje. The 2005 award was given to Brankica Petkovic, Head of the Center for Media Policy at the Peace Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In 2006, the Croatian journalist Danko Plevnik, international relations columnist for the Split-based dailySlobodna Dalmacija, was the recipient of the award. The Bulgarian investigative journalist Milena Dimitrova received the award in 2007. In 2008, the SEEMO jury chose Brankica Stankovic, editor for RTV B92 in Belgrade, who has addressed in her TV show The Insider (Insajder) important issues that have been either concealed or sidelined by the Serbian authorities. In 2009 the award was given to Boris Bergant, co-founder of the Alpe Adria broadcasting project, former European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Deputy-President and former Deputy Director of Radio-TV Slovenia, for his integrity and personal dedication in carrying out his work in the region.

If you know of anyone who would be a worthy recipient of the Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO 2010 Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe, please send by regular post or email to SEEMO:

1. A letter of nomination with basic details about the candidate and reasons why you would nominate the person for this award. 2. A Curriculum Vitae of the candidate.
3. Relevant supporting material (e.g. a summary of the manifestations of the candidate’s merits; details of the media which published / broadcast the reports etc).
4. Your contact information (name, address, mobile phone, phone, fax, email). 5. Contact information for the candidate (name, address, phone, fax, email).
If you would like to nominate a media outlet or an organisation/institution, please always provide details of its representative, as the award can be presented to individuals only.

If your nomination is supported by an organisation/media outlet, please send us the name and contacts of the person from the organisation/media supporting your nomination. If your nomination is supported by another individual or individuals, please send us their details and contact information.

Please send us all possible additional materials about the nominated person (TV reports on DVD, audio reports on CD, copies of articles in print media) by regular post to our Vienna office. Reports in local languages should be, if possible, accompanied by a brief English translation. Unfortunately, supporting material cannot be returned, so please always send copies of the original materials.

The nominated person must come from, or work in, the SEEMO region. SEEMO is active in Europe in the following territories: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Republic of Macedonia / FYROM, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.

The International Jury will be composed of distinguished journalists and media experts. Please note that members of the jury cannot be nominated for the award. Also self-nominations are not acceptable.

Please send your nomination and supporting documents to:
SEEMO/IPI Busek Award 2009 Spiegelgasse 2/29, 1010 Vienna, Austria Tel: +43 1 513 39 40 Fax: +43 1 512 90 15 E-mail: info@seemo.org
The deadline for applications for the 2010 Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe is: 15 May 2010. All materials sent by post must arrive in the SEEMO office by 25 May 2010.

The award will be presented on 15 October 2010 in Vienna, Austria. The winner will be invited to the presentation and his/her travel expenses will be covered. SEEMO will announce the winner in an official press release, and also on its website

First South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days, Montenegro, May 2010

May 24, 2010 • Investigative Journalism Days 2010 • disabled comments
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The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is pleased to announce the First South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days, which will be held in Becici/Budva, Montenegro, from 24 – 26 May 2010.

The First South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days is being organised in cooperation with the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC).

The First South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days starts on 24 May 2010 and will be officially opened by Ranko Krivokapic, President of the Montenegrin Parliament, Branislav Micunovic, Minister of Culture, Media and Sport, Ambassador Martin Pammer, Austrian Ambassador to Montenegro, Zeljko Ivanovic, Director of Vijesti Daily and Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.

The SEEMO Vienna office has registered more than 60 leading investigative journalists from across South East and Central Europe for the First South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days, as well as Montenegrin CEOs, editors-in-chief and leading journalists – all of whom strongly welcomed the event:

“Such a conference can serve as a hub of diverse knowledge for investigative journalists to exchange information and techniques, discuss future projects and cooperation and ultimately prove itself as a wonderful, enriching empowering few days” said Besar Likmeta, from the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (Birn), Albania and winner of the SEEMO-CEI Award 2009 for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism.

Bulgarian Investigative Journalist Lidiya Pavlova said: “It is a great opportunity for me to meet international colleagues and see how the land lies. The exchange of professional experience at such events could be crucial for you and you always get the feeling that you are not alone in your tough profession. You get courage to go on.”

Tatiana Etco, a reporter for Ziarul de Garda, Moldova noted: “Human rights violations, social injustice, poverty, human organ trafficking, illegal migration, torture and corruption – these are problems specific not only for Moldova, but for other neighbouring countries as well. Therefore it will be appropriate to speak about the difficulties faced by investigative journalists when writing about these topics. It will be great to have the possibility to share our experiences, problems and maybe together to identify solutions during an annual meeting.”

Sasa Lekovic, a freelance investigative journalist, and author and editor of the regional project Potraga, said: “The organisation of the First Investigative Journalism Days in the South East and Central Europe region by SEEMO, allows the possibility that within a couple days all leading investigative journalists can gather at the same place accordingly. The importance of investigative journalism is great – investigative journalism is the last chance for citizens to learn what is actually happening in their countries.”

Zeljko Ivanovic, Director of Vijesti Daily, added: “The fact that SEEMO chose Montenegro as the country in which the first regional meeting of investigative journalists will be held is a great support for journalism in Montenegro and investigative journalists in particular. This meeting should be a stimulus to journalists in Montenegro to be as involved in investigative journalism as possible and to comply with professional standards. More than ever, Montenegro is in great need of more qualitative investigative journalism and media cooperation and solidarity.”

The aim of the First South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days is to help foster better communication, cross-border cooperation, the exchange of information among leading investigative journalists from South East and Central Europe and the discussion of difficulties faced by investigative journalists when reporting on certain topics. The local partner is Publishing Group Vijesti Daily from Montenegro.

This is the first time SEEMO is organising the South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days and preparations have already begun for the Second South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days which will be held in 2011 in Serbia, and for the Third South East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days – to be held in 2012 in Moldova.

Budva, Montenegro

CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2010

May 21, 2010 • CEI Award 2010 • disabled comments

BACKGROUND
The Central European Initiative (www.ceinet.org ) has traditionally paid particular attention to the area of information and media and encouraged the role of independent media in its Member States. In view of the difficult conditions under which journalists are frequently exercising their profession the CEI, in cooperation with the Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), promotes the CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Journalism, which since its first edition in 2008 was meant to honour a journalist who, through his/her work, highly contributed to investigative reporting.

Criteria for admission
The Award is open to nationals of CEI Member States (Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine) who have acquired in the last three years special merits in investigative journalism and who are still active in journalism. The competing journalists should be nominated by individuals/organisations/media companies. Self-nominations are not allowed. All media are accepted: print, broadcast, news agency or Internet.

AWARD
The winning candidate will receive an award of 5.000 EUR, offered by the CEI – Executive Secretariat, on the occasion of the CEI Journalists’ Forum to be held in Poland in September/October 2010. The winner will be invited to attend the Forum and his/her participation expenses will be covered by the CEI.

Composition of the jury The International Jury is made up of distinguished journalists and media experts coming from the CEI region. Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter, CEI Secretary General, Mr. Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, Mr. Hari Stajner, CEI expert in media issues and Ms. Barbara Fabro, CEI-ES Senior Executive Officer will act as advisers.

Composition of the jury
The International Jury is made up of distinguished journalists and media experts coming from the CEI region.

Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter, CEI Secretary General, Mr. Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, and Ms. Barbara Fabro, CEI Senior Executive Officer, will act as advisers.

Terms of participation
Applications should include the following documentation: 1.Filled in Application Form (here) 2.Curriculum Vitae of the candidate 3.Summary of the presentations of the candidate’s merits; details of the media which published / broadcasted the reports 4. Relevant supporting material about the candidate (TV reports on DVD, audio reports on CD, copies of articles in print media). Reports in local languages should be possibly accompanied by a brief English translation. Please note that supporting material cannot be returned, therefore you are kindly invited to send copies of the original materials.

CLOSING DATE
Applications should be submitted by regular mail or e-mail within 1 September 2011 to:

Ms. Barbara Fabro, Senior Executive Officer CEI Secretariat Via Genova, 9 – 34121 Trieste, Italy Tel. +39 040 77 86 777/725 – Fax +39 040 36 06 40 fabro@cei-es.org

Albanian journalist BESAR LIKMETA wins the CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism

June 29, 2009 • CEI Award 2009 • disabled comments

The Central European Initiative (CEI) and the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) are pleased to announce that the young investigative journalist Besar Likmeta from Albania is the winner of the CEI/SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism.

On 29 June 2009, the International Jury met in Trieste, at the CEI Headquarters. The Jury was composed of Mr. Norbert Mappes Niediek, free-lance South East Europe correspondent based in Graz (Austria); Ms. Franca Roiatti, deputy editor, foreign affairs desk, Panorama weekly, Milan (Italy); Ms. Marina Constantinoiu, editor-in-chief, Jurnalul National daily, Bucharest (Romania); Mr. Milorad Ivanovic, deputy editor-in-chief, Blic daily, Belgrade (Serbia); Ms. Angelina Soldatenko, director of the International Institute for Regional Media and Information, Kharkiv (Ukraine).

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Hari Stajner (Serbia), CEI expert in media issues, acting as advisor together with Mr. Oliver Vujovic (SEEMO Secretary General), Amb. Pietro Ercole Ago (CEI-ES Secretary General) and Ms. Barbara Fabro (CEI-ES Senior Executive Officer). The Jury examined a total of 26 nominations from 12 CEI Member States. The personal risks taken while performing the duty, the quality of reporting as well as the impact on society of the message conveyed were the main criteria taken into account by the Jury.

It was unanimously decided that the Award should go to Besar Likmeta, young investigative journalist from Albania. With this selection, the Jury intended to promote the good investigative journalism carried out by a very young journalist and, more in general, to convey a signal of support to the development of investigative journalism in Albania, which is particularly significant for this country.

Besar Likmeta will receive the Award of 5.000 EUR, offered by the CEI Executive Secretariat, on the occasion of the traditional CEI Journalists Forum, to be held in Warsaw, Poland, in September 2009.

Besar Likmeta, born in Durres in 1983,is currently editor and project manager of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). Likmeta investigative work has streched from fake degrees to consumer protection and fraud by large state corporations. In 2008-2009, Limkmeta has produced several significant investigative reports that were widely republished and have made an impact in the Albanian society as well as regionally: Albania Ignores Trade in Fake Degrees, Wind Farm Threatens Albanian Paradise, World Bank Demolished Albania Village
Likmeta has worked as professional journalist for various print publications, electronic media and television. He started his career reporting for the Florida Times Union in Jacksonville, Florida. He moved to Albania in 2005 where he has been a features editor for the Tirana Times, a world news editor for the 24 hour news channel, TV Ora news, and lately as BIRN Albania editor. He has also contributed stories to various publications such as Jane’s Intelligence Review, Businessweek and World Politics Review.

Moreover, the Jury decided to award a special mention to Esad Hecimovic from Bosnia and Herzegovina and to Stefan Candea from Romania, in recognition of their valuable contribution to investigative journalism. For that, they will receive a CEI SEEMO diploma during the CEI Journalists Forum.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2009

June 21, 2009 • CEI Award 2009 • disabled comments

BACKGROUND
The Central European Initiative (CEI) has traditionally paid particular attention to the area of information and media and encouraged the role of independent media in its Member States. In view of the difficult conditions under which journalists are frequently exercising their profession, in 2008 the CEI, in cooperation with the Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), has launched the CEI Award for Outstanding Merits in Journalism, with a focus on investigative journalism. Following the positive outcomes of the edition 2008, the CEI and SEEMO are now launching the Call for Proposals 2009.

Criteria for admission
The Award is open to nationals of CEI Member States (Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine) who have acquired in the last three years special merits in investigative journalism and who are still active in journalism. The competing journalists should be nominated by individuals/organisations/media companies. Self nominations are not allowed. All media are accepted: print, broadcast, news agency or Internet.

AWARD
The winning candidate will receive an award of 5.000 EUR, offered by the CEI Executive Secretariat, on the occasion of the CEI Journalists’ Forum to be held in Poland in September 2009. The winner will be invited to attend the Forum and his/her participation expenses will be covered by the CEI.

Composition of the jury The International Jury will be composed of distinguished journalists coming from the CEI region. Amb Pietro Ercole Ago, Secretary General of the CEI Executive Secretariat, Mr Oliver Vujovic, Secretary General of SEEMO and Mr Hari Stajner (CEI expert in media issues) will act as advisers.

Composition of the jury
The International Jury is made up of distinguished journalists and media experts coming from the CEI region.

Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter, CEI Secretary General, Mr. Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, and Ms. Barbara Fabro, CEI Senior Executive Officer, will act as advisers.

Terms of participation
Applications should include the following documentation: 1. Filled in Application Form 2. Relevant supporting material (e.g. summary of the presentations of the candidate’s merits; Curriculum Vitae of the candidate; details of the media which published / broadcasted the reports).

CLOSING DATE
Applications should be submitted by regular mail or e-mail within 1 September 2011 to:

Ms. Barbara Fabro, Senior Executive Officer CEI Secretariat Via Genova, 9 – 34121 Trieste, Italy Tel. +39 040 77 86 777/725 – Fax +39 040 36 06 40 fabro@cei-es.org