Plan International Deutschland e.V.
Announcement of the Ulrich Wickert Award for Child Rights 2014
Journalist award raises awareness for the situation of children in developing countries
Hamburg (ots)
In 2014, the Ulrich Wickert Foundation, like in the year before, will bestow the "Ulrich Wickert Award for Child Rights" on journalists. By bestowing this award - totalizing prize money of 18,000 euros - the foundation wants to honour media contributions that raise awareness for the situation of children in developing countries (award in the category International) and especially for the situation of girls (award in the category Germany/Austria). A special award will be presented to appreciate the media work of children and young people in Plan's 50 partner countries.
Journalist and former TV anchorman Ulrich Wickert: "We need to focus our attention on the situation of girls and boys in poor countries and to promote their development. As journalists, we must observe what is happening in the world and we must commit ourselves when children and young people are being deprived of their rights. This requires great courage - and the Ulrich Wickert Award for Child Rights aims to promote and to acknowledge courage."
Dr Werner Bauch, Chairman of the Board of Plan International Germany and member of the jury: "Ulrich Wickert has been promoting the work of Plan International for many years. Like the British journalist John Langdon-Davies, the founder of our organisation, he helps to sustainably improve the life of needy children through his commitment. The Ulrich Wickert Award for Child Rights follows this tradition and honours journalists who courageously report on child rights violations. We would like to strengthen this commitment for the rights of the weakest members of the society and to express our high esteem for this commitment."
Contributions in German, English, French or Spanish published in print or online media, on the radio or on TV between January 1st and December 31st, 2013 can be submitted under www.ulrich-wickert- stiftung.de. Closing date is March 31st, 2014. Journalists of all departments as well as freelance journalists in Germany, Austria and in the 50 partner countries of Plan are entitled to participate.
Plan International Germany has been awarded several prizes for its transparency in fundraising. In 2012, the child-focused organisation twice reached first position: in the transparency award of PwC and in an analysis of the economy magazine Capital. Plan, one of the world's oldest independent child-focused organisations, is working in 50 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America and finances sustainable self-help projects by means of sponsorships, donations, public funds and corporate cooperation. Through the "Because I am a Girl" campaign, Plan is strengthening the rights of girls and has induced the UNO to recognize the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11th. Plan International Germany has been conferred the donation seal of the German Central Institute for Social Affairs (DZI). Due to its commitment in development cooperation, Plan was awarded the Walter-Scheel-Preis of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2011.
For further information, please contact:
Plan International Deutschland e. V.,
Bramfelder Straße 70,
22305 Hamburg, Germany
Kerstin Straub,
Head of Communications Department,
phone +4940 61140-251/-281
Antje Schröder,
Press Officer,
phone +4940 61140-281
E-mail: presse@plan-deutschland.de
Original content of: Plan International Deutschland e.V., transmitted by news aktuell