The Journalism Excellence Awards “Ethical reporting on Roma and Travellers and combating antigypsyism through the media” (hereafter “Awards”) aim at honouring and promoting media contributions that avoid the stigma often faced by Roma and Travellers, while impartially capturing their human stories.

The Awards were initially launched in 2024 within the framework of the Joint Programme EQUIROM (Equality and Freedom from Discrimination for Roma) funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe (2022 - 2024).

The Jury consists of distinguished editors, media experts, and respected figures from the field, as well as one the winner from the previous edition. The members review each submission through a transparent and rigorous evaluation process. Their role is to ensure that the awards honor work that demonstrates accuracy, fairness, impact, and a commitment to public interest. The Roma and Travelelrs Division reserves rights to change the composition of the jury for each Awards edition.

The Awards recognise outstanding achievements across a range of categories that reflect the diversity and evolving nature of the media landscape. These may include, but not limited to per edition:

• Photojournalism award
• Investigative journalism award
• Best interview award
• Roma and Travellers’ history and Holocaust remembrance award
• Special young journalists award