Migration is front-page news across Europe. On an almost daily basis pictures and articles are published focusing on the numbers of asylum seekers seeking refuge. Not all the information given about these individuals is true. What is true is that access to European asylum procedures is getting more and more difficult. Border fences are higher, patrols in the Mediterranean Sea have been intensified and officials at airports and ports prevent individuals leaving their country of origin.
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is inviting students across Europe who aspire to become journalists to investigate the reality behind the headlines and write a 1,200-word article on the theme: 'Access to Asylum'. The article may be written in any European language, but must be accompanied by an English translation.
The competition is open to students currently at any higher education institute in a member state of the Council of Europe, or who graduated from such an institution over the past year.
The authors of the three best articles will be invited to Brussels to attend a prize-giving ceremony in the European Parliament. They will meet members of the jury who are experienced journalists in this area and include native speakers of English, French, Dutch, Spanish and German.
The winners will also visit JRS Belgium to meet people who work with detainees held in detention centres. The three winning articles will be circulated to the JRS press network at European and national level.
The overall winner will be invited to a refugee camp in Malawi as the guest of JRS Southern Africa, where they will meet refugees, representatives of NGOs and local media. JRS will advertise and circulate material written by the student journalist during this trip.
An application form and further details on the competition may be downloaded from the Website: www.jrseurope.org, which includes links to organisations that work with refugees and asylum seekers in European countries.
The closing date for receipt of articles is 2 p.m. on February 22.
JRS is an international Catholic organisation whose mission is to accompany, serve and advocate for refugees and forced migrants. JRS Europe is a network of over 20 offices working in Europe. For more information, contact Elizabeth Underhill, JRS Europe media officer on tel: +32 2250 3220; fax: +32 2250 3229 or e-mail: press.europe@jrs.net.