Serena Cauzzi and Beatrice Maria Beretti with Le netturbine della plastica, Maria Francesca Moro and Alessandro Mariani with Vivere senza Plastica and Alberto De Pasquale, Simone Fontana and Rita Parrella with Oltre il riciclo, are the young students selected as the finalists for the Impact Environmental Journalism Award.
Promoted by Whirlpool EMEA and Fondazione Premio Ischia, this new award is designed to heighten awareness of the problems of plastics pollution and in particular inform the younger generations about the actions needed to safeguard the environment. It also focuses on the training of young journalists engaged in the struggle against climate change.
The Award’s jury is made up of Alessandro Magnoni, Head of Communication and Institutional Relations, Whirlpool EMEA, Karim Bruneo, Corporate Responsibility and Government Relations Manager, Whirlpool EMEA, Emanuele Bompan, Consultant, La Stampa, Fabio Savelli, journalist, Corriere della Sera, Francesco Ferrante, Vice-President, Kyoto Club and Founder of Green Italia, Paola Cambria, Director of Communication and Image, Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori, Roberto Giovannini, journalist, La Stampa, and Maarten van Aalderen, De Telegraaf correspondent for Italy, Greece and Turkey.
Addressing 2nd year students at all officially recognized Italian schools of journalism, the competition is offering a total of 10,000 euros for the three finalists, while the no. 1 in the ranking will also be able to do a paid internship at Italpress (a press agency). Its aim is to help develop young reporters who are specializing in environmental topics as they prepare to start their careers.
11 submissions were made for the Award in the form of articles, video reportage and video interviews in which students capture the virtuous actions carried out by large and small enterprises, ordinary citizens who use their social channels to promote a plasticless lifestyle and the efforts of high school students to find concrete solutions to the problems of plastics disposal.
“We’re proud to be part of the jury that selected the three finalists in this 1st Impact Environmental Journalism Award,” said Alessandro Magnoni, Head of Communication and Institutional Relations, Whirlpool EMEA. “For us, initiatives like this are major acknowledgements of the struggle we carry forward everyday against climate change and highlight Whirlpool’s efforts to raise awareness of pressing and globally relevant issues amongst the younger generations.”
The jury assessed the projects submitted (shortlisted by Fondazione Lang) in terms of style, reporting accuracy, originality of content and impact on readers.
The ranking of the three finalists will be announced on 16 May at a meeting of the Ischia International Journalism Awards jury, whose work can also be viewed using the Premio Ischia app provided by Datastampa.
The winners will be acclaimed at the 40th Ischia International Journalism Awards – 28/29 June – under the aegis of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.