Greetings
Joachim Gauck, Federal President of Germany
"This diversity can sometimes be challenging, is often enriching and is increasingly taken for granted."
Today, people from various countries, with different backgrounds and religious beliefs, are living in Germany. This diversity can sometimes be challenging, is often enriching and is increasingly taken for granted.
Our future will depend on the extent to which we remain united in our diversity and, while conscious of our differences, strive for the common good. It will depend upon the fact that we jointly defend the achievements of our country – liberty, the rule of law, democracy, social equity and, above all, respect for the dignity of every individual – against abuse and extremism of any kind.
Greetings
Joachim Gauck, Federal President of Germany
Thus you, as journalists, and the media for which you work, are all the more important. You can stir up fears or even manipulate them. Or you can enlighten, analyse prejudices, objectively describe and classify problems, enable us with new knowledge to correct old fallacies, also to introduce us to the successful everyday life of coexistence in our society, soothing fears and instilling courage.
For all this, the women and men involved with the CIVIS Media Prize are strong advocates in a special way. I would like to thank you and wish the CIVIS Media Prize continued success!
Greetings
Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament
"The employment of the cheapest resentments, the stirring up of fears and the cheapest populism are in great demand."
We are currently experiencing a rediscovery of the "Others", a renaissance of what separates us: it is much easier to point the finger at the "Others", it is becoming fashionable to arrogantly direct our attention towards the "lazy Mediterraneans", who it is necessary "to teach a lesson". German politicians are pictured in some foreign tabloids wearing Nazi uniforms, there is also talk of "Brussels dictatorship" and "foreign rule".
I would like to combine these congratulations with the request not to cease in your efforts and to continue to recognize media-makers, to tell us stories of successful integration and tolerance and also to inform us about those places where there are still terrible deficits. Unfortunately, in these crisis-ridden times we are experiencing an apparently ghostly return of spirits believed long dead: that it is once again possible to exclude minorities, to again hound the Roma, to discriminate against workers from Eastern Europe, to campaign politically with the closing down of internal frontiers – that horrifies me. Stupid populism is again gaining ground.
Greetings
Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament
Living together in a community – whether it is the family, the municipality, the country or our European Union – demands mutual esteem and a respectful approach to each other. The CIVIS Media Prize honours outstanding journalistic work, which shows us, in both words and pictures, just where cracks and divisions are appearing in our society. However, we also see and hear wonderful examples of a good, of an exemplary life together, of successful and enriching integration and cultural diversity.
The CIVIS Media Prize encourages journalists to continue to report on these themes which are essential for the inner cohesion of our community.
Greetings
Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany
"A person’s origin may not be allowed to decide their future. Integration must, therefore, be regarded as a task of society as a whole."
In the course of globalization our world is moving closer together. The meaning of geographical distance is rapidly decreasing. The exchange between people from different parts of the globe in science, culture, business and politics is meanwhile taken for granted. Migration, integration and cultural diversity increasingly leave their mark on our everyday life.
Germany lives from its openness and its networking. In the global competition for the cleverest minds we must invite talent from all over the world to join us. A successful strategic integration policy, therefore, begins beyond our national boundaries: with our Germany Years, with our numerous exchange programmes, with our network of partner schools and the worldwide promotion of the German language, we campaign for an attractive Germany.
Greetings
Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany
The welcome culture for which we work abroad must be followed by a culture of social cohesion within Germany itself. Our fellow citizens with a migration background must be in a position to develop their potential in a free and culturally diverse Germany. A person’s origin may not be allowed to decide their future. Integration must, therefore, be regarded as a task of society as a whole. Only when all people involved from politics, business, science and, in particular, also the media, give their support for integration, will a joint strategy lead to success.
By recognizing the best programmes on the theme of integration and cultural diversity for over two decades now, the CIVIS Media Prize has been making an important contribution to successful integration. It is remarkable that this year well over 600 programme contributions have been submitted to compete for the CIVIS Media Prize. This large number confirms both the great respect which is meanwhile enjoyed by the CIVIS Media Prize as an important award for integration and cultural diversity, and also the sensitivity with which the European media today approach these questions on radio, television and also the Internet.
Greetings
Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany
I would like to extend a warm welcome to you to the presentation of the CIVIS Media Prize. I am delighted that the gala is once again taking place in the Weltsaal of the Foreign Office. Like the prize, this room stands for openness and for the links between different worlds and cultures.
I would like to congratulate the prize-winners, express my thanks to those responsible, especially at the WDR, and to all of you for your engagement for successful integration and cultural diversity in Germany and Europe.
Greetings
For integration and cultural diversity - against racism and discrimination
Monika Piel (WDR) | Peter Boudgoust (SWR) | Dr. Alexander Wrabetz (ORF) |
Dr. Roger de Weck (SRG SSR) | Dr. Willi Steul (Deutschlandradio) | Marko Filli (RTV Slovenia) |
Erik Bettermann (DW) | Lutz Marmor (NDR)
The CIVIS Media Prize is intended to sensitise journalists of the electronic media for the themes of integration and cultural diversity in Europe and encourage them in their work through the honouring of exemplary programmes.
Also in 2013 we provide with our CIVIS Media Prize a sustainable signal with strong public impact on European society: for integration and cultural diversity – against racism and discrimination. To accept the ethnic, cultural and religious changes as reality and to positively shape them, is one of the central tasks of the European societies and politics. The protection of our liberal-democratic basis order against fundamentalist and extremist attacks is part of this.
Greetings
For integration and cultural diversity - against racism and discrimination
The public service broadcasting companies contribute to the promotion of understanding between different cultures and religious communities. Presenting the reality of the immigration society in all their programmes is one of the essential tasks of the public service broadcasting companies - without denying their conflicts.
The Association of the Public Broadcasting Corporations in the Federal Republic of Germany (ARD), Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), Swiss Radio and Television Corporation (SRG SSR), Deutsche Welle, Slovenian Radio and Television (RTV SLO) and Deutschlandradio make an active contribution to this current and future task.
