OREANDA-NEWS. April 28, 2011. In cooperation with Bank Austria, the APA – Austria Press Agency is awarding the prestigious Writing for CEE journalism prize for the eighth time this year. The prize is for EUR 5,000 and is aimed at encouraging the journalistic examination of Europe and European integration. It honours works that deal with Europe and Europeans, everyday life in the countries of Europe and European art, culture or lifestyles – and that make a contribution to breaking down barriers and overcoming prejudices.

The organisers want to ensure that it is not an EU prize, but rather “a European prize with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe”. However, journalists from all over Europe – for example, from Northern Europe or the Baltic states – are expressly invited to submit their work.

Journalistic works that were published between 1 August 2010 and 31 July 2011 can be submitted until 31 July 2011. Transcripts of radio and television programmes as well as online articles are also welcome. The winner will be announced and will receive the award at a gala event held at the end of 2011 in Vienna.

The Writing for CEE 2010 prize went to the Bosnian author Azra Nuhefendic. She received the award for her report entitled “The Train”, which describes a train ride from Belgrade to Sarajevo following the reopening of the rail line that had been out of service since the Bosnian War. The guest of honour at the awards ceremony was the author and former CSSR dissident, (“Charter 77”) Pavel Kohout, who had recently published his autobiography, Mein tolles Leben mit Hitler, Stalin und Havel (My Wonderful Life with Hitler, Stalin and Havel).

The list of previous winners consists of the Czech journalist Lubos Palata (2004), the Bulgarian author Diana Ivanova (2005), the Bosnian journalist Sefik Dautbegovic (2006), the Austrian author Martin Leidenfrost (2007), Anna Koktsidou, who was born in Greece and raised in Germany (2008), the Austrian investigative journalist Florian Klenk (2009) and Azra Nuhefendic last year.

Members of the jury which meets in various constellations include the Czech communications expert Milan Smid, the Slovakian publicist Michael Berko, the communications advisor Ildiko Fьredi-Kolarik, the Slovenian author Joze Hudecek, the Polish journalists Igor Janke and Pawel Bravo, the former advisor to the Czech president Jiri Pehe, the Hungarian radio journalist Julia Varadi, the Bulgarian author Janina Dragostinova, Bank Austria’s CEE press officer Tiemon Kiesenhofer and the chairman of the jury, APA’s editor-in-chief for foreign affairs Ambros Kindel.

The article in the original language, an English translation and the author’s curriculum vitae are required for entry. Additional information and the entry form are available online at www.apa.at/cee-award.