15.03.2010

On March 11 a press conference was held entitled “Europe on Runet” on the official start of the all-Russia contest “The Generation 20 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall” for online journalists and bloggers. The contest is being conducted by the Delegation of the European Union in Russia together with the RIA Novosti news agency, with communicational support provided by R.I.M. Porter Novelli.

The contest is intended to stimulate public discussion of the relationship between Europe and Russia at all levels and locations of both Russia and Europe, and also to build up interest among the Russian online community with regard to European themes and Europe on the whole.

Those speaking at the press conference on the topic of the role of online journalism and the blogosphere, which has become the symbol of the modern era and new generation, included deputy head of the Delegation of the European Union in Russia Michael Webb, and also jurors of the contest made up of first deputy head of the unified editorship of news and director of internet projects at RIA Novosti Natalya Loseva, famous Russian blogger Sergey Mitrofanov, and Russian bureau chief of the Spanish EFE News Agency Miguel Bas.

Entries to the contest include articles or posts – in the Russian language – that were published between January 1, 2009 and June 10, 2010 (a period of 17 months), or placed on an active blog between December 1, 2009 and the same June 10, 2010. The work of the participants is to be judged by a jury which comprises acknowledged experts in the field of European research, journalists of leading Russian and European mass media covering EU themes, and famous bloggers. Further details can be found at the official site of the contest: www.europlanet.ru.

R.I.M. Porter Novelli is undertaking the full range of operations involved in the organization, conduct, and communicational support of the contest. This initiative is a further development in the cooperation between the agency and the Delegation of the European Union in Moscow. The two organizations have worked successfully together in the past – in 2007-2009 – on several projects on the development of relations between Russian and European auditors.

 

Head of the press and informational department of the EU Delegation in Russia Denis Daniliidis (on the left), and Russian bureau chief of the Spanish EFE News Agency Miguel Bas

Deputy head of the Delegation of the European Union in Russia Michael Webb, and first deputy head of the unified editorship of news and director of internet projects at RIA Novosti Natalya Loseva

Contest poster