AU launches media awards

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The AU said in a statement yesterday that it had adopted a strategy to reach out effectively and aggressively to ordinary citizens of Africa.

"The programme titled African Union Print Media Awards seeks to work with the media to reach all corners of the African continent with news and views about African development issues," the AU said.

"Topics will be based on the current theme of the African Union Summits of Heads of State and Government. As such, the awards will directly promote the annual priorities as defined by the supreme decision-making organ on the continent, i.e. the Assembly of Heads of State and Government."

The AU said in order to achieve its vision, it had crafted its 2014-2017 strategic plan.

The AU said media had a critical role to play in achieving the goal and enable citizens to participate in defining and implementing the African agenda in order to achieve the continental vision.

The competition would be open to all print media journalists who are citizens of AU member states and who are based in Africa and whose publications are published in AU member states.

The winners would be selected according to the five regions of the continent, i.e. Southern, Central, East, West and North Africa.

Each entry would be accompanied by full names of the writer, the name and contact details of his/her employer, his/ her position in the news organisation, a valid media card and the region from where the entry is emanating.

There would also be a written confirmation on official letterhead from the media organisation employing the journalists, confirming his/her employment in the agency and confirming the dates of publication of all the submitted entries will be required.

Entrants will provide one clearly marked article for the competition, but must provide at least four other articles they have published in 2015 on the theme selected for the year.