The awards for promotion of intercultural dialogue were granted.

How are national minorities seen? It is a rather closed circle. Journalists claim that the inhabitants are expecting negative news so the press fulfils their demand, and people often emphasise that it is actually the press that creates negative image of some social groups”- said the president of the Department for the National Minorities, dr Vida Montvydaitė during the award ceremony.

Awards for the journalists were granted on Thursday. Those were bonuses for promoting an intercultural dialogue in Lithuania. The contest was organised by the Department for the National Minorities by the government of Lithianian Republic that is working since a year. During the ceremony also awards for the laureates of photographic contest “Various nationalities- one Lithuania” were granted. The audience’ award was granted to the photographer of zw.lt website- Joanna Bożerodska.

“We hope that our fresh Department, celebrating just the first year of activity, will be supported by the new government. We want to create new traditions that would be continued in the future”- said dr Vida Montvydaitė during the award ceremony.

This year 37 works were submitted for the contest for journalists. These included television and radio programmes, articles and interviews. Main prize for the promotion of intercultural dialogue independent jury granted to journalist of „Lietuvos žinios”- Goda Ambrazas for the series of articles about national minorities in Lithuania “Dancing kids in camp”, “Jewish middle school cares about historical heritage”, “Tartars in songs are animating the forgotten language”.

Also works of Edita Bačėnė, Siarhey Haurylenka, Arūnas Marcinkevičius, Kostas Kajėnas, Monika Midverytė, Natalija Zverko were granted the award.

“Today we are awarding journalists who contribute to creating intercultural dialogue, agreement between various minorities’ representants. Media are an important element of our community How are national minorities seen? It is a rather closed circle. Journalists claim that the inhabitants are expecting negative news so the press fulfils their demand, and people often emphasise that it is actually the press that creates negative image of some social groups”- said the president of the Department.

Award ceremony took place during the Tolerance Day celebrated on Thursday.