European Press Prize Award Ceremony 2025 to be held in Bari, Italy

We are very excited to announce that the 2025 European Press Prize Award Ceremony will take place in Bari, Italy, on 28 May.

Every year, the Award Ceremony brings together finalists of the Prize, as well as other key stakeholders and members of the local journalistic community to celebrate excellence in European journalism. The event will be co-organised in collaboration with Cime – event and exhibition organiser in the heart of Bari.

Vito Cramarossa, Director of Cime said:

“We are deeply proud to announce that, thanks to the collaboration between Cime and the European Press Prize, the prestigious Award Ceremony will, for the first time, take place in Italy, in the city of Bari, in May 2025. This remarkable achievement results from an extraordinary synergy between Cime, the European Press Prize, and local institutions, united by a shared commitment to promoting and fostering fundamental values such as freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and the dissemination of knowledge.”

Each year, the European Press Prize Award Ceremony moves to a different European city. As well as reflecting our mission to support quality journalism across the continent, this also ensures that journalists from all over Europe have the opportunity to meet in different cultural and socioeconomic contexts, facilitating exchange between international journalists and the local media community.

“For Cime, the collaboration with the European Press Prize is not just a source of pride but also a significant step forward in our ongoing commitment to spreading the principles we believe are essential for contemporary society. We sincerely thank the local institutions for warmly embracing our proposal and contributing to creating a shared project that elevates quality journalism and celebrates the values that guide our future. ​This shared purpose and vision have made possible an event of such great significance for Bari, for Italy, and for the European community as a whole,” said Cramarossa.

Thanks to our close partnership with Cime, we are delighted to bring the Ceremony to Italy for the first time in the Prize’s 12 year history. Home to a rich tradition of rigorous investigative journalism – and many European Press Prize Laureates – Italy is the perfect location for the Prize’s 2025 flagship event. This is especially true as independent journalism comes under increasing strain in Italy, as is the case throughout much of Europe. Jennifer Athanasiou-Prins, Executive Director at the European Press Prize said:

“Collaborating with Cime for our 2025 Award Ceremony in Bari was a natural choice, especially given our commitment to fostering meaningful connections between our European network of journalists and the local journalistic community in each city we visit. With their extensive experience in the local and national journalistic landscape and their shared dedication to promoting independent journalism and facilitating exchange across international and local communities, Cime aligns perfectly with the values of the European Press Prize. As the primary Italian partner of the World Press Photo Foundation, their expertise and reputation make them an invaluable collaborator for this special event.”

Our Preparatory Committee are currently reviewing all submissions for this year’s Prizes before handing the Shortlist off to our Panel of Judges. The Winners and Runners-up for each Award Category will be announced during the Ceremony in Bari.

Full details about the Award Ceremony will be shared in the coming weeks as well as information on how to attend. In the meantime, be sure to save the date and watch this space for updates!