M100YEJ: David Ilieski, 26, North Macedonia

14 August 2023. David Ilieski lives in Skopje and has been working as an investigative journalist at the Investigative Reporting Lab – IRL, a media organisation for investigative journalism, since 2018. As part of IRL, he has co-authored numerous stories exposing corruption, financial crime, illegal construction and political abuse of power.

“In North Macedonia, a developing country with its own unique set of challenges, climate change reporting is more important than ever,” he writes in his application text. “Our country is disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to economic limitations and less resilience compared to more affluent nations. Mainstream media, unfortunately, often overlooks this, allowing the power dynamics, illicit activities, and corruption contributing to environmental degradation to go unchecked. It’s not just an environmental crisis; it’s a social and political crisis deeply rooted in the lack of rule of law and the widespread corruption.

read more M100YEJ: David Ilieski, 26, North Macedonia

Deutsche Postcode Lottery new supporter of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium

11 August 2023. We are very grateful to have the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie as a new, strong partner at our side, supporting us in our work for strengthening democracy, for independent journalism, for training and networking journalists across Europe and for defending freedom of the press and freedom of expression!

Friederike Behrends, Chairman of the Management, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie: “As a major German charitable social lottery, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie is particularly committed to the foundations of our democracy. An essential element of this is the protection of freedom of opinion and freedom of the press, which goes beyond borders. We are happy to support the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium, as it brings together unique international media professionals from all over the world to discuss the future and to contribute to the European understanding. We are very pleased that with our support we can send a clear signal for freedom of expression as a cornerstone of democracy.”
#PostcodeEffekt

M100YEJ: Belle de Jong, 23, The Netherlands

8 August 2023. “Journalists must play an active role in bridging the gap between science and society, translating complex scientific findings into accessible language and highlighting innovative solutions,” says Dutch journalist Belle de Jong, who works as “Leading Editor Western Europe” for the young media start-up “The European Correspondent“. “By equipping audiences with accurate information and empowering them to take action, journalism can catalyse a groundswell of collective efforts to combat climate change. Together, we can forge a new era of climate journalism that not only informs, but inspires, empowers, and drives tangible progress towards a more sustainable future.”

Belle is one of 20 young European journalists taking part in the M100 Young European Journalists Workshop on “Climate reporting – and its significance for democracy” from 10 to 14 September in Potsdam. “Climate change is no longer a distant concern; it is a pressing issue of the present,” Belle writes in her application. “The magnitude of this crisis cannot be understated. And it is no longer an issue that the West can hide from; the devastating floods in my home country, the Netherlands, as well as Luxembourg and Germany in 2021, are the immediate and tangible consequences of climate change.”

An overview of the other 19 participants and the workshop leaders can be found here.

 

Mike Schubert: Strong Signal for Democracy

7 August 2023: Mike Schubert, Lord Mayor of the state capital Potsdam and Chairman of the M100 Advisory Board on the presentation of the M100 Media Award to the Women, Life, Freedom Movement of Iran:
“The presentation of the M100 Media Award to the Iranian Women, Life, Freedom Movement is a strong signal for the strengthening of democracy, freedom of expression and freedom of the press. The protests for women’s fundamental rights, which are not only taken for granted in the Western world, have attracted worldwide attention in recent months. It is impressive how brave and strong the protesters are, expressing their will for change in the face of the threat of unjust and inhumane punishment. In Shima Babaei, we see the example of a courageous woman who has had to flee harsh punishments and disenfranchisement, and who is fighting from exile for the rights and freedom of Iranian women. Her efforts remind us that we must always speak up for those who have no voice. Let us continue to fight together for a more just and free world, where the voices of all are heard and women everywhere have equal rights and opportunities.”

M100 Media Award to the Iranian Women, Life, Freedom Movement / Ursula von der Leyen gives laudatory speech

• Award ceremony on 14 September at the Orangery Sanssouci in Potsdam/Germany
• Iranian activist Shima Babaei accepts M100 Media Award
• Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, gives laudatory speech
• Opening speech by the Indian author and essayist Pankaj Mishra

Potsdam, 4 August 2023. This year’s M100 Media Award will be presented to the Iranian Women, Life, Freedom movement. The award honours courageous women and girls – and also men – who protest against oppression and for freedom and human rights in their home countries.
They are risking their freedom and their lives in these protests to protest against decades of gender inequality and discrimination against women in Iran. By honouring the Life, Women, Freedom Movement of Iran, M100 supports the struggle for fundamental freedoms, and advocates for an immediate end to state violence and the safe release of thousands of politically imprisoned citizens.
The award will be accepted on behalf of the movement by the Iranian women’s rights activist, Shima Babaei, who has been living in exile in Belgium since 2020.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will deliver the laudatory speech.
The Award ceremony will be hosted by TV journalist Pinar Atalay.

read more M100 Media Award to the Iranian Women, Life, Freedom Movement / Ursula von der Leyen gives laudatory speech

M100YEJ: Dimitrios Theologidis, 22, Greece

3 August 2023. Should journalism change in the face of growing crises like climate change – or not? That’s what we asked the applicants for this year’s M100 Young European Journalists Workshop, which will take place in Potsdam from 10 to 14 September on the topic of climate reporting – and its significance for democracy.
Dimitros Theologidis, who has just graduated at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, has a clear answer: Yes!

Dimitrios is very interested in aspects of journalism and communication, such as environmental journalism, as well as international relations. In his final thesis, “Minority influence on the construction of social identities in an intergroup context”, he studied Greek attitudes towards the country’s main migrant groups and other minorities.

An overview of the other 19 participants and the workshop leaders can be found here.

M100YEJ: Chiara Pertile, 27, Italy

2 August 2023. Chiara Pertile is from Milan and is one of 20 young journalists from 14 European countries taking part at this year’s M100 YEJ on “Reporting on Climate Change” from 10 –  14 September.

Chiara is a philosopher of science and freelance project writer. She graduated from Università degli Studi di Milano with a degree in Philosophical Sciences, specialising in Philosophy of Science –  especially Philosophy of Biology. She also holds a postgraduate Master’s degree in “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Climate Change for Sustainable Growth”.

Find out more about Chiara, the 19 other participants and the workshop leaders here.

WE SAY THANK YOU! 🙏🙌❤️

29 July 2023. In six weeks, the M100 Young European Journalism Workshop (#M100YEJ) with 20 young journalists from all over Europe will start in Potsdam! From 10 to 13 September, they will work with experts such as Sven Egenter, editor-in-chief and managing director of Clean Energy Wire, journalist and author Alexandra Borchardt and Alexandre Brutelle, co-founder and director of the Environmental Investigative Forum, on new forms of climate reporting, cross-border reflection on climate change and journalism, and the impact of climate change on journalism and democracy. On 14 September, they will all participate in the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium at the Orangerie in Potsdam.

OF COURSE, THIS WORKSHOP IS ONLY POSSIBLE WITH THE SUPPORT OF STRONG PARTNERS! Therefore, we would like to thank the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government and the Journalismfund Europe for their financial support of the 19th M100YEJ!

Oleksii Pedosenko on the reconstruction of Ukraine

24 July 2023. Oleksii Pedosenko is a Masters student in Regional and Urban Planning at the London School of Economics and an M100 alumnus. In an article for the RICS Journal, which provides expert insight into key issues in the built environment, construction, property and surveying, he reflects on the reconstruction of his homeland Ukraine. Reconstruction is needed on a scale not seen since the Marshall Plan after the Second World War. “The World Bank’s estimate for the cost of reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine is currently US$411bn, more than two-and-a-half times higher than the country’s estimated GDP for 2022,” writes Oleksii. “And this figure does not take into account the recent destruction of the Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper river and subsequent flooding downstream.”

read more Oleksii Pedosenko on the reconstruction of Ukraine