Russian professional journalists participating in the competition were asked to write an essay on how society and the world around us have changed 20 years after the fall of the wall.
The contestants were asked to share their views on Russia's prospects, its role in Europe and its relations with the EU. The main topics were "Exchange for changes," "Freedom of choice - freedom?" and "A state for citizens or citizens for a state?"
"Most works at the contest touched upon the issue of contacts between people, civilian rights, basic freedoms and freedom of movement. These are indeed the priorities of the EU-Russian agenda," said Fernando Valenzuela, who heads the EU representation in Russia.
“The contest is quite paradoxical, as the nomination of journalists and bloggers is a paradox. I do not believe that blogs would destroy our profession, but I do witness the intense rivalry between blogs and journalism,” RIA Novosti Internet Projects Director Natalya Loseva said.
She said that contesters were having "a kind of internal identity crisis," seeking to determine their role on the media scene was.
“Who am I – a journalist as a broadcaster, or a journalist as a mirror? Or am I a blogger having a certain point of view, a person with the right to have an opinion?” Loseva explained.
The winners of the competition get a free trip to Brussels and Berlin and the opportunity to undertake a traineeship at RIA Novosti.
"I would like this evening to become a starting point for them in their new profession, in the new system of media relations," Loseva added.
