Ahmet Altan, Dušan Miljuš and Roberto Saviano have received the "Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media"
The Media Foundation of the Sparkasse Leipzig has honoured the courageous and exemplary commitment of the Turkish editor in chief Ahmet Altan, the Croatian journalist Dušan Miljuš and the Italian author Roberto Saviano during a ceremony at the Leipzig Media Campus.
On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the historic Leipzig Monday Demonstrations in 1989, Ahmet Altan and Dušan Miljuš personally received the award from the hands of Burkhard Jung, Lord Mayor of Leipzig, and Dr. Harald Langenfeld, CEO of the Sparkasse Leipzig and the Media Foundation. Roberto Saviano, who could not attend the ceremony, sent a video message in which he emphasised the close spiritual relationship between the Peaceful Revolution in East Germany and the Leipzig Media Prize.
According to the jury's view, the three laureates, who share the prize money of 30,000 Euros, are distinguished by their unwavering will to truth and truthfulness. They are united by their endeavour to expose any deplorable state of affairs and by their conviction of being able to change social structures through the power of word and deed. For this conviction, they take serious physical and economic threats into account for themselves.
The "Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media" is awarded to journalists, media institutions as well as publishers who stand up for the freedom of press with willingness to take risks, commitment and courage. The laureates are selected by the board of trustees consisting - amongst others - of editors in chief, television correspondents and writers from suggestions of the national and international media scene.
The Foundation asks for proposals for the award of the Leipzig "Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media" until 28 February, 2010.