Pan-European competition for young journalists

The fourth edition of Phase, out with The Times on Saturday, features the 2009 Young European Journalist Award, a pan-European competition for young journalists.

This year, Europe celebrates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain and the fifth anniversary of the accession to the EU of eight central and eastern European countries, including Malta and Cyprus. These anniversaries offer a special incentive for aspiring or professional journalists from all over Europe to reflect and express their views on the enlargement of the European Union.

Phase decided to promote this annual competition to motivate ambitious people in Malta to take up the great challenge. Moreover, Media-Consulta, the competition's main organiser, has offered Phase co-editor Velislava Hillman to serve on the European panel of adjudicators and mentor the Maltese participants. The winner's article will be published in Phase and all Maltese participants will be given the chance to get their most inspiring stories published on the website.

Phase's cover story focuses on identities. The leading section - my career - introduces professional opportunities in economic sectors such as the pharmaceutical industry, veterinary medicine and conservation and restoration.

The most popular section in Phase - Talents - has added a new sub-section on poetry to include the increasing number of poetic youngsters who have been sending poems to the magazine since last Valentine's Day. This section features Rebecca Cavlan and her original story narrated through the intricate comic sketches of Davida Flores. In Pan's Labyrinth, Phase aims to introduce young people who are in love with reading and writing. Young writers having a fertile imagination and in love with writing can send their science fiction stories and fairytales to the editors. The main objective of this section is to encourage young people to read more and to read all types of literature to boost their intelligence and creativity.

The June issue of Phase will present the newly-developed section Research Leader, which will publish research papers and dissertations by graduates, students and young professionals who have completed any sort of academic work.

editor@phase.com.mt