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The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is pleased to announce the winner of the Dr. Erhard Busek-SEEMO 2009 Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe.
After careful deliberation, the international jury has chosen Boris Bergant, born in April 1948 in Maribor, Slovenia, in recognition of his continuous and outstanding contribution for better communication, exchange and cooperation between the public services in different countries in the South East European region. The jury based its decision on the integrity and personal dedication of Boris Bergant in carrying out his work.
Boris Bergant is the co-founder of the broadcasting project, Alpe Adria 1983, the oldest European trans-border radio and TV project still in operation. He has been involved his entire life in the issue of national minorities and established the first pan-European TV co-production, Minorities-the Wealth of Europe (1983-1986), with 14 countries participating.
With the support of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), IPI and UNESCO, Boris Bergant established a regional centre for professional assistance and humanitarian help in Ljubljana, Slovenia, during the war in ex-Yugoslavia (1991-1995).
In his work for the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, Boris Bergant co-organised the establishment in 1999 of the new independent RTK Kosovo, where he is still a member of the Board of Directors.
During his career, Boris Bergant has received many awards for his work as a journalist, including the Tomsiceva Award for journalistic achievement in Slovenia, and prizes at TV festivals in Monte Carlo, New York and Leipzig.
The Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO Award for Better Understanding is sponsored by Dr. Erhard Busek, Jean Monnet Professor ad personam, President of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, Coordinator of SECI - Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, former Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, and President of the European Forum Alpbach.
In 2002, the jury honoured the Croatian journalist, Denis Latin, with the award. In 2003, it was presented to Kemal Kurspahic, former editor-in-chief of the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje. Brankica Petkovic, Head of the Center for Media Policy at the Peace Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia, was the recipient of the 2005 award. Danko Plevnik, international relations columnist for the Croatian daily Slobodna Dalmacija in Split, was the winner of the 2006 award. Milena Dimitrova, commentator for the Bulgarian daily newspaper Trud in Sofia, was the winner of 2007, and Brankica Stankovic, editor for TV B92 in Belgrade, Serbia is last year's winner.
The seventh Dr. Erhard Busek SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe will be presented on Friday, 16 October 2009, by Dr. Erhard Busek and by SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic at Haus der Musik, Seilerstätte 30, 1010 Vienna, Austria. To attend the event, please contact: info@seemo.org