For the first time conjoint * Clerical Relief Organisations "Hope for Eastern Europe" and "Renovabis" put Journalism Award out for tender

Stuttgart/Freising (Germany) 8 July (PROTEXT/ots) - For the first timeconjoint, the solidarity initiatives "Hope for Eastern Europe" (Hoffnungfuer Osteuropa - HfO) and "Renovabis" confer the "Eastern EuropeanJournalism Award". Therewith, the Eastern Europe relief organisations ofthe two large Christian churches honour journalistic contributions thatdeal with the social situation and living conditions of the people inMiddle and Eastern Europe. So far, the award had been assigned solely byHfO.

The tender is addressed to jounalists who were born in a Middle, Eastern orSoutheastern European country and who live there. The winner obtains aprize money in the amount of € 2.000. In addition to that, two advancementawards of each € 1.000 will be assigned. An independent jury of mediaexperts will decide on the awarding of prizes. The award will be presentedSaturday, November 8th, 2008, within a convivial event in Munich.

As HfO-Directress parson Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel stated Tuesday (July1st) in Stuttgart, "democracies do not only subsist on elections, but alsoon an alert and critical media and a committed civil society". For both ofthis, an adequate impulse and support would be important for the countriesin Middle and Eastern Europe. "Thereto, we would like to contribute withour journalism award." Füllkrug-Weitzel points out that the submittedarticles are a testimonial for brave people and for those involved withcommon welfare. "What a benefit, considering the numerous negativeheadlines about Eastern Europe."

Renovabis-CEO Father Dietger Demuth rates the conjoint awarding of theJournalism Award as a "wonderful sign of ecumenical cooperation". Demuthstated in Freising that "we were glad to seize on the suggestion of ouraffiliated protestant organisation for this cooperation". Therewith, thelong-standing and good relations between Renovabis and HfO would be furtherdeepened. Looking at the inflationary multiplication of media awards inGermany, it would only be reasonable not to invent a new contest, but totake part in an existing award on a partnership basis.

Further information:

Tel.: +49-8161-5309-14 or -39 (Jürgen-August Schreiber, Renovabis, dept.for communication and cooperation, e-mail: jas@renovabis.de;http://www.renovabis.de; tel.: +49-711-2159 147 (Rainer Lang, HfO, dept.for public relations and advertising; http://www.hoffnung-fuer-osteuropa.de

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