The European Press Prize 2024 Award Ceremony at CAMP, in Prague

The 2024 Awards of the European Press Prize will be handed out on 6 June 2024 at CAMP – Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning, a multimedia gallery and an urban planning hub directly in the centre of Prague, focusing on the future of cities.

The Award Ceremony marks the most important moment of the European Press Prize 2024 season. It brings together the finalists of the Prize, as well as the Prize’s other stakeholders, and several media outlets from around the continent. This year, the Award Ceremony is organised in partnership with MDIF – Media Development Investment Fund, one of the co-founders of the European Press Prize.

CAMP – Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning

Staying true to its mission of supporting excellence in journalism and upholding its values around Europe, the European Press Prize celebrates its Award Ceremony in different European cities and at different venues every year – in order to make our events as accessible to as many journalists as possible. This way, journalists from all over the continent – and beyond – have the opportunity to meet in a different cultural and socioeconomic context.

For its 2024 Award Ceremony, the European Press Prize travels to Prague – the 2016 Awards were handed out in the Czech capital as well. This time, the European Press Prize partnered up with MDIF – Media Investment Development Fund, which has one of its local representative offices in Prague.

MDIF is a not-for-profit investment fund for independent media in countries where access to free and independent media is under threat. They provide affordable debt and equity financing supported by technical assistance to media companies that provide the news, information, and debate that people need to build free, thriving societies.

Majka Nemcova, MDIF’s Chief Operating Officer, as well as Board member of the European Press Prize: “Recognizing quality journalism has become ever more important in a world of disinformation and declining trust in media. With press freedom deteriorating and being chipped away in many parts of this region, I am particularly pleased that this year’s ceremony is in Prague to celebrate the best journalism pieces from across Europe and to remind us of the essential role of independent, trustworthy media for democratic societies, contributing to governance, accountability and respect for human rights.”

A venue aiming to foster public debate

The 2024 Awards of the European Press Prize are being handed out at CAMP on 6 June 2024. The Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning – CAMP was founded in 2017 and, since its inception, it has been set to be a point of reference for the city of Prague.

CAMP wants to improve the public debate on the development of Prague, their goal being to serve as an open platform, a ‘base camp’ for anyone interested in Prague’s joint planning and functioning. That is why the center is a gathering point, with multiple spaces where people can meet and attend cultural events.

“Journalism is vital for a thriving democracy. It empowers people to be informed and to make responsible decisions, rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. As the director of an inclusive institution dedicated to fostering dialogue about urban development among residents, politicians, and journalists, I am delighted that our Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning can host such a significant event,” says Ondřej Boháč, director of The Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR Prague), where CAMP is based.

Jennifer Athanasiou-Prins, Executive Director of the European Press Prize: “MDIF is a trusted partner in Prague that blends global know-how and local insights – and therefore a natural partner to work closely together with. Moreover, we could not have wished for a more fitting venue than CAMP, which is dedicated to fostering dialogue and improving the public debate in Prague. Collaborating on our 2024 Ceremony with two local organisations whose missions are so aligned with the European Press Prize’s, is essential for us to be able to host an event that connects our Community with the local community.”

More than journalism: explore the city of Prague through the eyes of plants and animals

The European Press Prize Award Ceremony will take place during the exhibition Planet Prague. Planet Prague unfolds the story of Prague’s nature in a different way than we are used to.

The exhibition aims to observe the city through the ‘eyes’ of plants and animals, to offer a different perspective: how do plants and animals use the environment that people have built for themselves? How many ‘inhabitants’ does Prague actually have? Attendees of the European Press Prize Award Ceremony will also have the opportunity to engage with part of the Planet Prague exhibition in CAMP during the evening of the Award Ceremony. To experience the exhibition in its entirety on another day than 6 June, plan your visit to CAMP here.

Over the years, several of the articles that won or were shortlisted for the European Press Prize dealt with the topic of the environment and its inhabitants. A powerful example of that is the 2022 Runner-up for the Public Discourse Award ‘The Eye of the Whale.’

The Shortlist of the European Press Prize 2024

The shortlisted articles of this edition of the European Press Prize are already available and have been translated into English so that people from all over the world can read them. Out of this 2024 Shortlist, Winners and Runners-up per category will be announced at CAMP on 6 June. Find the 2024 Shortlist here or visit the European Press Prize’s website at europeanpressprize.com.