Media freedom representative Mijatović awarded Médaille Charlemagne
The Trustees of this prestigious award pay tribute to both the personal merits of Dunja Mijatović and the work of her Office in safeguarding the freedom of the media.
Proud, honoured to be awarded Medaille #Charlemagne. A true recognition of our work @OSCE_RFoM @OSCE @Serbia2015OSCE http://t.co/Jgoye9Wukd
— Dunja Mijatovic (@OSCE_RFoM) March 24, 2015
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media has been awarded Médaille Charlemagne 2015. The award honours a European personality who has made a unique contribution within the field of media, to the process of European unification and the development of a European identity.
The discussion after the events in France and Denmark about what the media is allowed to do and where the limits shall be, has highlighted how vulnerable and fragile these rights are. In her role as the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović contributes not only to the observance of human rights in each OSCE participating States, but throughout Europe.
The Representative strongly condemned the horrific attacks in Paris and Copenhagen and urged all parts of society to be involved in a broad discussion on recognizing freedom of expression and freedom of the media as vital conditions for tolerance and non-discrimination.
Protecting journalists
Journalists’ safety is a pressing and urgent issue throughout the OSCE region, and brought into sharp focus with the conflict in and around Ukraine. Within the context of the crisis, the Representative has reported on over 180 attacks on journalists, 30 attacks and editorial offices and television stations and 80 detainments of journalists.
“If journalists are intimidated, threatened, or even killed, we are called to defend freedom. Dunja Mijatović has done this in an exemplary way. I am pleased that with her a woman of Southeast Europe is awarded, a region that unfortunately is rarely in the focus of European interest.
The Representative has sought to facilitate a dialogue between the journalists of Ukraine and Russia by organizing and hosting five meetings with media organizations from both countries, and to define support measures to enhance journalists’ professional standards and safety.
"An exceptional champion of the European idea"
Médaille Charlemagne is since 2000 awarded to a European personality who has made an outstanding contribution in the field of media, to the process of European integration and the development of a European identity. Among previous prize winners are the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta (2012), Reporters without Borders (2009), the Polish actor Krystyna Janda (2006), and the publisher Lord George Weidenfeld (2000).
“He or she can be a journalist, printer, producer, publisher, director, web designer, or any person connected with the media who has not only excelled through his work but has also contributed towards bridging the gap between cultures while being an exceptional champion of the European idea.”
Médaille Charlemagne
The prize is supported and awarded by the association "Médaille Charlemagne pour les Médias Européens", of which the following institutions are members: City of Aachen, City of Maastricht, German-speaking Community of Belgium, Media Authority North Rhine-Westphalia (LfM), Film- und Medienstiftung NRW GmbH, Arte - the European culture channel, BBC World News, Deutsche Welle, EOS Entertainment GmbH, Euronews, Eurosport S.A., the newspaper publishers' association of North Rhine-Westphalia and the committee for awarding the International Charlemagne Prize of the City of Aachen. The association came into being in 2006 on the initiative of the Media Authority North Rhine-Westphalia and the City of Aachen.