Originally from Cameroon, Simon Inou has been living in Austria since 1995. He is chief editor of Radio Afrika International and was co-ordinator of the Africa section of the Wiener Zeitung until 2005. Furthermore, he is chief editor and co-founder of www.afrikanet.info, reporting topical African issues, politics, society, women, art and culture in Austria.

"In the course of my work I have spoken to many young black people about their chances in employment. The majority has been born in Austria, they don’t have any African roots and still they are called Africans due to the colour of their skin. The chances of these 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants regarding finding jobs and employment leave a lot to be desired."

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Since 2000, Petra Sjouwerman has been working as Scandinavia correspondent for, among others, De Morgen (Belgium) and Trouw (the Netherlands).  Based in Denmark, she writes about various Scandinavian topics.  She describes herself as a true EU-citizen: being Dutch, living in Denmark and professionally active for a Belgian newspaper.

"The initiative from this Danish enterprise to hire autistic people only is something unique. It should get international attention, mainly because this initiative strongly emphasises the fact that there is a place for people who are “different” on the labour market."

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Demetra Molyva, born in 1960, is a freelance journalist writing for publications in London and Cyprus. She has been a full time journalist at Cyprus Weekly since 1994.

"I am extremely honoured that my article on prostitution has made the first stage of this crucial competition dealing with human rights. Whether I win or not is immaterial. It is the process that matters more than the result in this case. Thank you to the organising committee. Thank you."

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Before I started my maternity leave, I had worked for a long time in HR, particularly as a HR Director in Raiffeisenbank CR then. At present, I combine care of my two little children with consultancy and training in the field of personnel management and human development. I cooperate with The Czech Society for Human Resources Development on projects which are related to diversity and equal working opportunities. Moreover, I am an author of a manual for personnel officers about managing diversity.

"I entered the competition because I consider activities aimed at the promotion of diversity and breaking stereotypes as crucial and rather necessary."

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Mads Kastrup became a journalist in 1990 and subsequently worked for Aarhus Stiftstidende, TV2 and various magazines. He joined the culture department of Berlingske Tidende in 1991. Since 1995, he has been a feature journalist of Berlingske Tidende, specialising in series of articles.

"I chose to participate in the Journalist Prize on request. A colleague thought I would be an ideal candidate for instance with the article about the riots that started with a chest of drawers in a flat in a Paris suburb. This was one of 14 features that I had written for Berlingske Tidende tracing the cartoon crisis through Europe. I’m happy that this particular article was chosen as it manages to tell the big story of the clash of civilisations in Europe in a microcosm."

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My career in journalism began in 2004 at Postimees, where I worked for two and a half years as an economic reporter. Since November 2006 I have been writing and editing both economic and consumer news for the Tarbija 24 website of Postimees Online. Before getting into journalism I worked for almost 10 years as public servant developing salary legislation.

"In my journalism I have tried to write about the unjustness of the state’s salary policy and about those people who remain on the sidelines of the labour market for no good reason. I feel that the thorough knowledge I have of the state’s salary system has helped me reflect it more effectively than other journalists in recent years. The article submitted to the competition was one of those very pieces, albeit more optimistic than my previous ones. Whereas five years ago it may still have been very common in the Estonian state sector (or any sector) for workers over 50 to be made redundant however good they may have been at their jobs, things have started to change for the better. I hope that the media has contributed to improving this situation as much as it has to the changes in economic life."

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Nina Räty specialises in crime and justice reporting. She started her journalistic career as a trainee in 1989. Since then she has been working for Finnish News Agency, Helsingin Sanomat (our leading daily) and for the TV-channel 1 of Finnish Broadcasting Company. Since 2004, she has been working for Etelä-Suomen Sanomat.

"I decided to take part to EU Journalist Award because I felt that through this story, I was able to tell something about a certain fragment of Finnish reality as it is. Supporting diversity is, according to my opinion, an important issue, because diversity vitally belongs to the future of our country. Population formed by different nationalities enriches our lives, assuming equality will be achieved.  But this, of course, doesn’t happen without solving problems, which again requires efforts and adjusting from all parties. I truly cannot accept discrimination and think that fighting it is a necessity."

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Susanne Krieg is a graduate of Hamburg’s Henri-Nannen-Journalistenschule. She has written for GEO, a magazine famous for its photo reports and elaborative articles, since 2004.

"We live in a society where achievement is valued above all and everyone strives to be perfect. People with Down’s Syndrome (Trisomy 21) must fight enduring prejudices: that they are mentally deficient, incapable of learning how to read and write, or, as adults, still as helpless as small children. But most of all, they are still insulted as “Mongos” – a derivation of Mongoloid, a term coined by a Victorian psychiatrist as a comparison with the people of Mongolia. When I heard of the two Ohrenkuss (a magazine written by people with Trisomy 21) journalists travelling to Mongolia to find what lay behind the analogy, I asked to go along. It became a unique opportunity to experience the world from the point of view of people with Trisomy 21 sufferers – a world full of humour and wisdom, far from the constraints and neuroses faced by “normal” people.. With my report, I wanted to demonstrate that we can learn a lot from the two protagonists."

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Evis Kagia is a journalist who shares an immigrant background with the people she portrays. She believes that diversity will maintain the "wealth” of the world. In her articles she puts down the ideas, thoughts, and emotions she, as an immigrant herself, shares with different people.

"I sent my articles because I like to share stories with people, because I like to “move” people.

I am close to my own truth; I am close to our reality. Will I manage to continue? It is not an easy path and I do not know what will happen. It is not like I moved on without sacrifices, but I know that this way I am becoming a better person and I show the direction against discrimination. I am myself and that is all that matters to me today. Through my truth I try to put another little brick in the wall that is being built in Greece.

In my opinion diversity leads the way to our evolution and it should not be denied. As it has been well put by Francois Jacob 'with the existing ingredients we should compose our personal canvass, our own presence'."

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Miklós Hargitai has been working for Népszabadság, Hungary’s most widely read national daily since 1993. Before that he was a teacher and worked for the International Pető Institute.

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David Lynch is a journalist with a wide range of experience in regional, national and international press. He began work as the full time Dublin reporter for Belfast based newspaper, Daily Ireland. Currently working as a freelance journalist, Lynch's professional plans include continuing writing about domestic Irish and European issues.

"I was proud of much of the work we did at the paper in attempting to highlight the difficulties faced by those groups and individuals who still suffer discrimination on various grounds in modern Ireland. We also took a strong line, celebrating and welcoming the recent rapid

change in the ethnic, national and racial make up of the island's population, following a decade of sustained economic boom and resulting immigration. It was the work of other journalists in Ireland and abroad who saw it is as their principal task to write from the perspective of the underdog which encouraged me to enter this profession. The former winners of this award are journalists who I admire greatly."

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Fabrizio Gatti is a correspondent for L’Espresso, one of Italy’s most important weeklies. He previously wrote for the national daily Corriere della Sera. Fabrizio is famous for his undercover stories and scandals he has exposed thanks to his particular way of secretly inserting himself into the reality he is investigating.

"It is a great satisfaction to know that one’s work and efforts have been acknowledged and chosen for this important international recognition."

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Ilze Arkliņa, Head of the newspaper Diena (Day) supplement Karjeras Diena (Career Day), has been working at Diena for 4 1/2 years, mainly addressing topics such as employment and education. Previously she worked for the English language newspaper The Baltic Times as Editor-in-chief.

"The situations featured in the article will become more topical as these issues gain prominence in society. Workplaces with a friendly environment tend to set a strict line between a simple chat among colleagues and an insult to other person’s views and values, and everyone is aware of this line and normally avoids overstepping it. These issues, like other relationship issues such as sexual harassment at the work place, are so sensitive that one should not attempt to solve them by act of law. However, it is necessary in cases when people do not feel any boundaries at all. Therefore, if such offences in Latvia persist, the explanation of what is and what is not acceptable both on the part of the employer and the employee, according to the provisions of the European Union, will be necessary, and mass media will have a significant role to play in promoting these provisions."

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Milda Kuizinaite has been working for daily newspaper Lietuvos rytas for 11 years, covering social issues. Over recent years she has been involved in some social experiments: she spent a week with homeless people in the logging houses of Vilnius; she also voluntarily spent a day at the police guardhouse.

"Writing on social issues, I have been interested in the problems people with disabilities face. The story about my heroes – two sportsmen with visual impairments who were refused to enter one of the night clubs of Vilnius – was told to me by a colleague of mine who covers sports in our newspaper.  Then I investigated all circumstances hoping to hear at least an apology form the owners of this club. Unfortunately not!

I think journalists can neither stay indifferent concerning the problems of members of the society with disabilities nor can they accept intolerance towards other races, beliefs or origins."

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Julia Farrugia has previously worked on a radio documentary based on her personal experience with HIV kids and the stigma they carry. Her work was chosen from the United Nations as one of the main projects for World Aids Day in her country. She is dedicated to researching unique stories with one goal in mind: the fight against discrimination.

"With the support of The Malta Gay Rights Movement I got to know Brenda. Her story is simply unique. From an oil rig worker, father of a teenager, this person got the real Brenda out of her closet.  Hand in hand with her wife she’s facing the real meaning of discrimination. Work problems, humiliating comments by government employees and people living in her village are only but a few barbs thrown in her way. But despite these hurdles, Brenda and her partner vouch to adhere to their wedding vows “till death do us apart.” Brenda pledges that through her story she wants to show the world the true meaning of love as opposed to discrimination."

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"I decided to take part in the Journalist Award EU competition because I’m very interested in anti-discrimination issues. Poland needs to raise this topic and discuss in public the benefits of diversity. Polish society has somehow missed an important European trend. At a time when Europe was discussing diversity questions, Poland was focused on transformation-related problems. Nowadays Europe is trying to cope with the fear of accepting otherness. Multicultural society is seen as a nuisance. It would be bad if Poland joined this malcontent choir. Poland still must learn a lesson on tolerance."

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"The article addresses the exploitation of illegal immigrants in our country. With our work, we seek to raise people’s awareness of the harsh reality of those thousands of people who are every day submitted to the maltreatment of unscrupulous employers, who find themselves in situations of abuse and true human slavery: right in the 21st century! We went to listen to foreigners without any legal or social protection who are stranded in a country whose language they do not speak and where they have no-one to turn to. They arrived marked by war, starvation and misery in their home countries, especially in Africa and in Eastern Europe, and they work day in, day out in subhuman conditions – they survive in order to provide food for their families. Our presence in the competition is highly gratifying for us since it makes us feel that the matter we write about is important to the European Commission, too."

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"As a child, they taught me not to hurt those weaker than myself.  That lesson seems to have stuck with me. Through my reports as well personally, I have endeavored to help those who have been broken psychologically and physically. I was captivated by the story of Mrs. Marta Pavlíková because she didn’t give up, didn’t give in to depression, and won her battle entirely on her own. When I wrote about her, perhaps it was also because I wanted to pay tribute to the struggle of one ordinary woman and immortalize this effort in our magazine as an example – a chance for others who have not found enough courage within themselves."

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"I have applied for the “For Diversity. Against Discrimiantion.” Journalist award 2006 because this award offers one of a few opportunities to promote this area of journalism. It deals with stories which unfortunately do not usually get much media coverage, which are often recognised and solved by society only reluctantly and too late. I cover these topics not to moralise but to help uncover through empathy the destinies of those people, who do not get media coverage very easily."

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Beatriz Lucas works in the Madrid branch of Diario ADN. She has been the Director of the local news section for the Madrid Branch since she was promoted in January.

"For this report the photos were taken by the kids themselves using disposable cameras. They had the permission of their families to participate and for their photos to be published in the newspaper. This project was more than two months in the making, since we had to immerse ourselves in the area and gain the trust of the families. Moreover there was the huge task of graphic design (we had more than 200 photos) which was under the charge of Guillermo Sanz.

I decided to take part in this competition in order to give a voice to the young people who are depicted in the report. To show reality through their eyes. To show that their names (Benita, Gema, Edison, Ángela, Fátima, Gema, Jose, Mamen, Sulami, Ramón (Pío)) exist, since in many cases they are not even officially registered. Because the public denouncement of this situation is the only thing that can force those responsible to intervene so that these children can have more options for their future apart from drugs, delinquency and life on the edge."

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Anna Tiberg works as a reporter at the magazine Dagens Arbete (Daily Work) and has done so since 2004. Her specialities are gender equality and labour conditions.

"The reason why I decided to participate in the competition is that I think that the story about how Amos Sibose fights to get a job is well worth to be observed. I hope that more people will realise how much strength such a fight requires. I also hope to distribute the knowledge of how easy it is to become a victim of the system we have created in order to make our society fairer. People that show courage and stand up for something most of us see as obvious, risk to become crushed, instead of being rehabilitated.  It this what we want?"

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"The media sets an image of certain people being discriminated against in the labour market. However, the problem is more complicated. At the same time there is a growing number of (often international) companies that are searching for people with a diverse cultural background. I thought that in the discussion about anonymous job applications there was no room for this paradox.

My idea on this was reinforced when after the publication of my article four employers called me who had a job for Haseeb el Khafaji, the man I had interviewed. The 34-year-old Iraqi man had written 50 application letters and did not seem to be able to find a job. However, in the interview he was so open about his identity and the problem his background gave him, he ended up being offered multiple jobs."

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Mary O’Hara has been a journalist for seven years and has written across a range of areas including news, general features, and for the past two and a half years, social affairs. Her current specialist areas include mental health and disability. She is a staff writer for the Guardian but has also done work for magazines, radio and television.

"Liz was a fantastic person to interview. She was all the things you look for: inspiring, forthright, thoughtful, fearless and, of course, funny. As a young disabled person in the entertainment industry Liz is unusual. Interviewing her presented an opportunity to get across how a pioneering person really can make a difference and help challenge discrimination. The competition is important because it encourages journalists to examine how they cover subjects such as diversity and non-discrimination. I entered my piece because I believed it would help get across the extent to which disabled people are under-represented in the media and entertainment world - and importantly - that there is no reason why this should be so."

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Writing for Austrian weekly magazine NEWS, Christoph Lehermayr tries to approach social problems in a positive way. His aim is to provide a voice to minorities.

"The police: representative of social diversity or a self-contained, monolithic block? With my article, I intended to show that the Austrian police force is trying more and more to integrate people from a migrant background into its ranks. Newly appointed officers set an example of how to defeat prejudices and create understanding. It was my intention to show that both society and the authorities benefit from diversity. The article was also meant to encourage Austrians from a migrant background to apply for the police force and show that diversity in the public arena is not a one-way street."

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At present, I study andragogy and personnel management at the Faculty of Philosophy at Charles University. I am now collecting and completing data for my graduation thesis which concerns issues related to the employment of the elderly. Discrimination on the ground of age is unfortunately quite common with Czech employers.

"Any article which points out discrimination in society should be read by as many people as possible. Especially those who engage in discrimination practices have to be informed. The competition awarded to journalists within the “For Diversity. Against Discrimination.“ campaign certainly contributes to spread the information."

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Katrine Birkedal Christensen is a journalist at the Danish Journal of Nurses. She is also a tutor of journalist students at Roskilde University.

"A Danish Muslim nurse was not allowed to wear a long garb as her nurse uniform. Perhaps a minor detail for the hospital, the patients and the colleagues, but to the Muslim nurse it was humiliating and discriminating. Should she be allowed to wear such a coat at work? Was the ban a token of lacking respect or was the ban necessary for hygienic reasons? These were the questions I explored in the article. However I did not find unambiguous answers, but I do think that rich, civilized, democratized societies in Europe have a duty to show consideration and respect for minorities. To disrespect a minority which differs from the majority in their thinking and belief is not compatible with real freedom of speech and tolerance. In that respect the Journalist Award is an interesting and relevant way to focus on the necessary diversity across the national borders in Europe."

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I began writing alongside my university studies in 1997. I worked on youth and women’s magazines, before later becoming editor in chief of the alternative cultural newspaper Võitlev Sõna. I have been working at Postimees since 2004, originally as a news reporter and from 2005 as the director of the editorial team on culture and as the literature editor.

"With my essay I have tried to show that religion holds an important place in the world, not only in the past but also in the present, and denying this in order to create a “neutral’” world view can never in fact be neutral. The essay summarises the arguments of local cultural figures from the last few years against religious studies and attempts to address them. The aim of my writing this is not to claim that the introduction of studies of religion into the curriculum is inevitable, but that it cannot be excluded for demagogic reasons, sowing the seeds of enmity against faith - because freedom of religion does not only mean the freedom not to believe, but also the freedom to believe."

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