The International Award for Solidarity with Refugees aims at (a) Preventing events that force people to become refugees. Media men and women can play a significant role in preventing civil disputes, conflicts and wars which are among the first and major events that force people to leave their home and even homeland. (b) Making nations and peoples aware of the plight of refugees and displaced people, so that greater and better attention is given to reducing what causes people to become refugees and helping to solve an already existing refugee crisis. (c) Honouring and recognising media professionals who have campaigned for the dignity and the rights of refugees as human beings, so that media men and women worldwide commit themselves more and more to put an end to the refugee phenomenon. (d) Finding new methods, attitudes and dispositions for dealing with refugees and displaced people, so that refugees are not treated merely as objects needing only food and water to survive a few more days! (e) Considering refugees as fully equal human beings who deserve humanity’s respect, solidarity and fraternity. “Refugees, A Challenge to Solidarity through Media” is the theme of the award. Sub-themes include covering events that produce refugees, the prevention of conflicts in order to avoid forced migration, globalisation and its consequences with regard to forced displacement, economic policies that force people to leave their homes and homeland, solutions for solving the plight of refugees, and giving respect and equal consideration to refugees.

Cardinal John P. Foley(1935 - 2011) Award honours women and men ho have built or helped build bridges between peoples, communities, societies, between the religions/Churches and the world through ongoing reflection and search, get-togethers, encounters and seminars. Such bridging and encounters are necessary today in our modern world where both young and senior generations value freedom, dignity and respect than blind submission.

[1]. Candidacies, supported by adequate documentation, may be submitted by a member, well-wisher, a member of the jury or by the candidate him/her/itself. Each presentation of a candidate shall include: (a) A brief description of the candidate. If the candidate is an individual or a group of individuals, the description shall include a biography, the place/s of professional work, and information on main journalistic works. If the candidate is a publication or a journalistic institute, the description must give important dates and figures that would help in knowing the candidate, its activities, achievements and impact. (b) Reasons for proposing the candidature. (c) Name of the person or institution putting forward the candidacy. (d) A maximum of three journalistic works for each award by the candidate or one copy of the publication that is being put forward as candidate. (e) Awards 1 & 2 require recommendations from professional and ecclesiastical authorities (e.g. bishop). [2]. The name of the award to which the submission is made must be clearly indicated. [3]. Please send two photographs. [4]. Deadline: 15 May 2013. E-mail: <icom@bluewin.ch>.

[1]. Entries that are not in English, French, German or Spanish must have a translation or a summary in one of these languages. Photos must have a title, the photographer’s name, and the date and place where the photo was taken. [2]. Each participant may send a maximum of three journalistic works. [3]. Please mention the name of the award being applied for, the title, the date of publishing or broadcast, author’s name, on a front (title) page. [4]. Written entries that are yet to be published should not exceed 1200 words including tables, figures, photographs and references. [5]. Entries can be in the form of an article, interview, profile, opinion, publication, book, analysis, news story, photograph, or any other journalistic work, published or publishable, broadcast or broadcastable during the years 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013. [6]. Audio and audio-visual entries are submitted with their web links consultable until 31 December 2013. [7]. Please send two photographs of the author/s. [8]. Deadline: 15 May 2013. E-mail: <icom@bluewin.ch>.