In the picture: Winners of the 'Breaking Stereotypes' Photo Competition announced

Krzysztof Gołuch, a photography student from Poland was selected out of more than 600 participants as the winner of the European Union’s Breaking Stereotypes Photo Competition. The student from the renowned Czech Institute of Creative Photography at the Silesian University in Opava impressed judges with his depiction of an elderly man in a wheelchair facing a flight of stairs.

Nora Krauss, a German student at the Berliner Technische Kunstschule, took second prize with her impressive photographic techniques and open, interpretative approach to diversity. The runner up, Maja Kurant, also a Polish student from the University of Gdansk, created a mosaic of 44 equally sized squares depicting 44 individuals all from different countries, each with the word ‘diverse’ written on a different part of his or her body.

The competition was open to students from all over the EU studying photography, fine arts, graphic or communication design, visual communications, media design and other related disciplines. An exhibition of selected photos is now touring Europe. It was launched last week in Brussels, where the photos are displayed in an open-air exhibition in front of the European Commission’s headquarters. The exhibition will continue to Lisbon, Berlin, Warsaw and Athens later this year. For more information, please visit the website of the competition.

European Union and MTV call on Europe’s young talent

On 22 October, the European Union launched its latest competition to raise awareness on equality and the fight against discrimination with an advertisement spot on MTV, the world’s largest youth channel. It calls on viewers to enter artwork that, for them, represents diversity and equality. The competition is one of a range of awareness-raising activities taking place as part of the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All and the 5-year ‘For Diversity. Against Discrimination.’ information campaign. The entry period for the contest will run until 8 December and the winner will be announced on 17 December 2007.

To support the competition, a DiverseCity webpage has been launched where visitors can upload their creations, make their own online identities, and vote for their favourite entries. The overall winner will be awarded a trip for two valued at €4,000 to a European city of his or her choice. A short-list of the best entries will also be featured in future diversity campaigns throughout the EU.

The competition is open to everybody and visuals can be of any format, including photos, videos and collages. The criteria for submissions are that they should represent topics of diversity and equality while appealing to a young audience. To enter the competition, please go to www.eudiversity.com.

Glasgow in tune with diversity

Traditional Scottish music on
the Diversity Truck’s stage

On 18 September of this year, the massive European Union ‘For Diversity. Against Discrimination.’ truck rolled into Glasgow to George Square for its final stop in the UK. The event included performances from an African drumming group, a break-dancing crew and a bagpipe band from a local school in Glasgow.

Visitors could also sign up to compete in ‘Diversity Idol’, the ever-popular karaoke competition for all ages that takes place on the truck and features songs with a diversity theme.

The stop in Glasgow was arranged in partnership with Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, EURES, Scottish Enterprise, Shaw Trust, Scottish Interfaith Council, Stonewall, EMB and Age Positive. The stop is part of a seven-month tour around Europe, which will see the Diversity Truck visit a total of 21 countries and travel over 18,000km.

The EU Journalist Award to break all records

The EU Journalist Award 2007, open for print and online journalists across the EU writing about diversity and discrimination issues, broke all earlier records this year. Almost 800 journalists submitted their articles for the joint journalistic competition of the “For Diversity. Against Discrimination.” campaign and the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All.

The award has increased its appeal to journalists every year since its conception and the fourth edition of the competition attracted 770 valid entries in all. This year, to celebrate the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, the competition introduced a special category for articles that highlighted one or more of the many events of the European Year. Also articles concerning issues of more than one form of discrimination were particularly welcome for this special award. 445 entries were submitted for this category alone.

In October, juries consisting of media professionals and anti-discrimination experts in each EU Member State have chosen 27 national winners for the award. These entries will then be short-listed for the final EU award, chosen by a pan-European jury in mid-November. The winners of the first, second and third place honours and the special award will receive a study trip in the country of their choice and be invited to an award ceremony in Brussels taking place in December.

Visitors at the European Year stand Job Days Europe attracts 10.000 job seekers to the Berlaymont in Brussels

Visitors at the European
Year stand

Job Days Europe attracts 10.000 job seekers to the Berlaymont in Brussels
On September 29, the European Commission’s Berlaymont building in Brussels opened its doors to job hunters for the Job Days Europe 2007. More than 10.000 participants, young and old, took this opportunity to present themselves to potential employers and to speak with representatives of a company or organisation of their interest. Among the exhibitors were EU institutions like EPSO (European Commission Recruitment Office) and companies such as Randstad, IBM, Euractiv and the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce. The 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities was also there with two info stands to inform people of their rights to equal treatment in employment. Many took the opportunity to pick up postcards, info flyers or just to chat about their experiences in employment.
 

The Job Days Europe were organised for the third time in 2007. This year’s event was held in the framework of the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All and the 50tth anniversary of the Treaty of Rome with the support of EURES, the European Job Mobility Portal.

Job Days in Hungary and Greece

In addition to Job Days Europe in Brussels, several other countries held information sessions in September and October regarding employment opportunities in EU Member States. For example, in Esztergom, Hungary, some 250 employees representing a wide age spectrum attended the European Mobility Days job fair on 28 September. The “For Diversity. Against Discrimination.” stand at the fair was well attended along with those of the European Employment Services (EURES) and German and English job centers. At the event, Hungarian and international companies such as Suzuki, Nokia and Sanyo Hungary had the chance to introduce themselves and lead presentations and seminars.

The European Job Day in Greece, which was put together by the Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) in co-operation with EURES, was held under the title Euresalon and took place on 20 September at Hotel Amalia in Athens. At the event, EURES advisers from Cyprus, the UK, Germany and France, which are countries that, for Greeks, are some of the more attractive to work in, informed participants about employment opportunities, working conditions and the labour market in their countries. The campaign “For Diversity. Against Discrimination.” also participated in Euresalon by distributing informational materials about people’s rights to fair treatment at the workplace.

Introducing our national partners: DaneAge Association

DaneAge was established in 1986 and is a direct membership non-profit organisation that has 507,000 members and a secretariat staff of 100. 26% of all Danes over the age of 50 are members of the DaneAge Association, whose mission is to support a person’s right to participate in society, regardless of age, and to create for him or herself an active and meaningful life.

DaneAge has 10,000 volunteers working in local units doing social work, providing local membership activities and participating in local lobbying. The organisation also provides assistance, support, and counselling for those who want it. Other services include providing information, tools and education to help people make informed decisions regarding, for example, pension plans, housing arrangements, and late life careers, so that they are ensured the ability to lead a life on their own terms.

DaneAge is an official partner of the campaign in Denmark and also the first charter member of AARP Global Network, the international network of organisations serving the needs of the elderly in countries around the world.