Winners of the EU Journalist Award 2010 – Together against discrimination!

The article ‘Different, but Happy.’, was recognised by the jury for telling “a positive story of LGBT families” which at the same time explores the difficulties that they can face.

Jeanette Björkqvist from Finland won first prize for her article ‘The Unwanted People’ (published in the Hufvudstadsbladet newspaper) which focuses on the experiences of Roma from Eastern Europe in Finland. The EU Jury gave first place to this article which “despite tackling difficult themes” is “accessible and interesting to read.”

Second place went to Edith Meinhart from Austria for her article ‘Failing our intellect’ which was published in Profil, a weekly business magazine. The article looks at the experiences of skilled immigrants in Austria, presenting both the human face of this waste of talent caused by discriminatory attitudes and the economic waste of resources. The jury found it to be “an engaging mix of individual stories and general research.”

Rasa Navickaitė from Lithuania was awarded third prize for her article on the experiences of same sex couples raising families in Lithuania. ‘Different, but Happy.’, which was published in monthly magazine Homo Mag, was recognised by the jury for telling “a positive story of LGBT families” which at the same time explores the difficulties that they can face.

The winner and two runners-up received their prizes on 21 March in Brussels from Françoise Le Bail, General Director of DG Justice at the European Commission.