Only one week left to submit articles for the EU Journalist Award

Last years winners (from the
left) Fabrizio Gatti (IT), Henna
Helne (FI), the Commissioner
Vladimir Spidla, Petra
Sjouwerman (BE) and Miklos
Hargitai (HU).

The countdown for the EU Journalist Award 2007 has begun. The last few weeks has seen entries pile in from all over the European Union – but there is still time to enter! Print and online journalists, from all 27 Member States and writing about diversity and/or discrimination issues in any of the official EU-languages, can submit their articles for the EU Journalist Award until 30 September. Prizes worth a total value of €12,000 await the pan-European winners. 

The fourth annual EU Journalist Award seeks to honour journalists who, through their writing, create a better understanding of the benefits of diversity and encourage their readers to think more about discrimination issues. The award has increased its appeal to journalists each year, with a record number of over 700 entries received in 2006. 

For more information please visit the website of the EU Journalist Award.

Equality and diversity a hit at Central Europe's largest music festival

Nemadomfel band living their
dream – performing for
Sziget visitors on the
Diversity Truck stage

Sziget is the largest music and culture festival in Central Europe, organised on an island right next to Budapest's city centre. Each year the festival attracts around 500.000 visitors, offering them a huge variety of music and entertainment including theatre and dance performances, films, fine art, literature, sport and children's activities. This year, the Sziget Festival celebrated its 15th anniversary, with a week full of activities from August 8 - 15. Almost 1500 performances took place during the festival, featuring acts from over 56 countries as well as 500 national performers.

A European Union information tent was also present at the festival, using the opportunity to inform "islanders" - as Sziget visitors are called - on a wide range of discrimination issues, including information on what is happening during the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All.

The Diversity Truck also visited the festival on the first day. Dr. Lamperth Mónika, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, launched the Diversity Truck programme and was particularly proud to introduce "Nemadomfel" (I won't give up) band. All the band's members are mentally disabled and a huge audience turned up to see their impressive performance. After the opening band the programme continued with the ever-popular truck karaoke and a performance by the CorleeMad rock band from Berlin.

Diversity Beach Volley Challenge takes place in Malta

The “Diversity Beach Volley Challenge” on Saturday 15t September in Pretty Bay in Birżebbuġa, Malta, took place under the banner of equality and diversity.

The event began with the performances of the most popular beach volley clubs around the island showing their amazing athletic skills. After that, 14 non-professional teams competed against each other in the Diversity Beach Volley Tournament – wearing yellow anti-discrimination jerseys. Besides volleyball, the audience was entertained by the popular Maltese radio DJ Lee Nicholson, who acted as the commentator of the event and played music.

For further information about national activities in Malta, please visit the anti-discrimination website.

50 years of improving job opportunities: The European social fund celebrates an anniversary

The European Social Fund (ESF) is the European Union's main instrument for investing in people. It contributes to the priorities of the Community as regards strengthening economic and social cohesion by improving employment and job opportunities, encouraging a high level of employment and more and better jobs.

The ESF has substantially increased its support to social inclusion for 2007-2013. It has now a dedicated priority: "Reinforcing the social inclusion of disadvantaged people with a view to their sustainable integration in employment and combating all forms of discrimination in the labour market".  Whether it is working with ethnic minorities or young people, the disabled or women, there is evidence to suggest that support of programmes by the ESF has contributed to the development of preventive and active policies to integrate or re-integrate the socially excluded back into the labour market.

ESF projects are, by their nature, diverse and varied. It does everything from setting up training centres in Ireland for young school drop-outs, to creating programmes in Spain to help Roma people improve their employment skills. Another example is in Austria, where the ESF helps ex-prisoners reintegrate into society. "The men and women who join the training course come from all walks of life. Many have a history of personal problems, such as drug-addition, debts, alcoholism, and have few qualifications” said Mr. Hanser-Mantl, who is responsible for the Austrian project.

In an effort to raise awareness of the opportunities available through ESF, events are being organised throughout Europe. In Potsdam, Germany, a conference was held and a photographic exhibition opened on 28-29 June in celebration of the ESF’s 50th anniversary. The exhibition documents the Fund's past achievements and also looks to the future, highlighting the importance of the ESF to tackle the series of challenges the European Union is facing – from globalisation to new technologies, from an ageing population to research and innovation. Later in the autumn, the exhibition will travel to a number of countries, including Belgium, Malta, the UK and Portugal.

Creative Contest to be launched on MTV

The best diversity shots from
the last years’ competition
are now featured as a
Diversity clip on YouTube

Brush up on your vocabulary

Check out our Anti-Discrimination Glossary, now available in 22 EU languages as part of the “Stop-Discrimination Guide” on the campaign’s website. The glossary lists many of the most relevant terms used in the anti-discrimination and equality field.

View the glossary!

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Introducing our national partners: Pan-Cyprian Volunteer Council – the voice of the voluntary sector