BUSEK AWARD

SEEMO Award for Better Understanding was initiated in 2001 by SEEMO General Secretary Oliver Vujovic. Dr. Erhard Busek, 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, decided during a meeting with Oliver Vujovic in November 2001 to support financially this new annual award for journalists. The award should receive journalists who promote better understanding, tolerance and communication in the SEEMO region, either within one country or cross border. SEEMO board decided that the award receives the name of Erhard Busek as an integral part of the award name and the first award was presented in the year 2002 under the name Dr. Erhard Busek SEEMO Award for Better Understanding. Dr. Busek financially covered the costs of a monetary award prize, as well of the cost of the award call and work of the jury. Additional Dr. Busek financially covered the award presentation costs and travel and hotel costs of the award winner.