According to a special Eurobarometer poll published in January, 64 per cent of Europeans believe discrimination is widespread in their country and more than half feel not enough is being done to combat the problem.

Raising awareness of every citizen's right not to be discriminated against, showing the negative effects of discrimination and explaining the benefits and opportunities of diversity are therefore not only important, but vital in making equality a reality. The annual “For Diversity. Against Discrimination” EU Journalist Award encourages journalists to think and write about these issues and rewards the best article published in an EU Member State.

The fourth edition of the competition takes place during the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All. Throughout 2007, numerous activities will take place under the guidance and with the support of the Year. The EU Journalist Award will team up with the Year in organising a special prize for an article highlighting one or more of the many events of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All.

The EU Journalist Award honours journalists who create a better understanding of the need to promote diversity and combat discrimination. It has become a fixture of the EU's wider campaign against discrimination and participant numbers have been increasing every year. More than 700 entries were submitted for the 2006 awards, the winners of which will be announced in Brussels in April.

The competition is open to journalists from all 27 EU member states. They are invited to submit print or online articles about discrimination or diversity on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age, disability or sexual orientation. Articles submitted for the special award category dealing with the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All may also address gender discrimination issues. Entries can be written in any of the 23 official EU languages and must be at least 3,800 characters long. They must have been published between 1 January and 30 September 2007, which is the deadline for submissions. National juries of media professionals and anti-discrimination experts will select 27 national winners who will be in the running for the EU award, which will be chosen by a pan-EU jury. The winner and the two runners-up as well as the winner of the special award category will receive a grant for a research trip to an EU country of their choice.

For more details on the award and to download an application form, visit

www.stop-discrimination.info.