September 19, 2015 – The African Union (AU) has launched the AU Print Media Award with prize money of $700 for the lucky winner.
The AU launched the award as part of efforts to reach out more effectively and aggressively to the ordinary citizens of Africa, by deepening their understanding of the role of the AU; what it stands for today and some of the strategic investments it is pursuing as a foundation for the improvement of the quality of life in Africa.
“Africa’s media has a critical role to play in achieving this goal and thereby enable citizens to participate in defining and implementing the African agenda in order to achieve the continental vision”, the AU said on its website.
The topics is based on the current theme of the African Union Summits of Heads of State and Government.
“The competition shall be open to all print media journalists who are citizens of AU member states and who are based in Africa and whose publications are published in AU member states.
“Winners shall be selected according to the five regions of the continent i.e. Southern, Central, East, West and North Africa. Each journalist entering the competition shall be required to show proof that he/she is a citizen of an AU member state.
“Each entry shall be accompanied by full names of the writer, the name and contact details of his/her employer, his/ her position in the news organization, a valid media card and the region from where the entry is emanating:
“Written confirmation on official letterhead from the media organisation employing the journalists, confirming his/ her employment in the agency and confirming the dates of publication of all the submitted entries will be required. On receipt, the entries shall be judged by a competent panel of judges established by the Commission.
“Winners shall be informed of how and when they shall receive their prizes before the end of the year 2015. Equal gender representation shall be enforced. Each regional winner shall be presented with a reward of US$7000 and a certificate”, the AU said, adding that submissions sent without the required accompanying documentation will be disqualified and that the judges’ decision is final.
The languages to be used shall be those of the African Union i.e. English, French, Portuguese and Arabic. The applicant is to provide one clearly marked article for the competition and four others previously written on the same subject in 2015. Entries are to be submitted from September to October 2015, while winners will be informed by November 2015.
“Submissions should be sent electronically to Mrs Wynne Musabayana, Deputy Head of Communication and Information Division on [email protected] with a copy to the Director of Information and Communication Mrs Habiba Mejri Cheikh on [email protected] and to [email protected]”, the AU said.
