All set for the 30th edition: the Jurists who will select the winning journalists have been named Rome, 30th January 2009 – Thirtieth birthday celebrations for the ‘Premio Ischia Internazionale di Giornalismo’ – Italy’s longstanding annual awards for the very best of national and international journalism. The total transformation of communications in recent years and the birth of alternative forms of news distribution have prompted the Fondazione Giuseppe Valentino to mark the 30th anniversary of the Premio by the revitalisation of both its Jury and its format. The event will now be especially focussed on youth culture and the additional means of communication made possible by new technologies. Greater attention is to be given to the denial of information and to those journalists who strive for the defence of human rights in the world’s various theatres of war. The Premio Jury has been divided into themed sections. Many distinguished names appear on this, the thirtieth panel to be assigning the Award for “Journalist of the Year”: Joaquin Navarro Valls, Peter Stothard, Derrick de Kerckhove, Jean Daniel, Franzo Grande Stevens, Lucia Annunziata, Gianni Riotta, Emilio Carelli, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Valentina Alazaraki, Gaetano Coscia, Giovanni Floris,. David Grossman, Jean Marie Colombanì, Timothy Garton Ash and other illustrious members of the Premio’s roll of honour will be participating in conferences and debates during the celebration of the 30th edition. Walter Cronkite, the doyen of American journalism, will be sending a written statement. Further innovations for the new-style Premio include awards for communicators from business, Public Administration and politics, for journalists from the financial press and for web editors. A further award will go to the journalist who has most clearly analysed the issues confronting the Mediterranean this year. Amongst the jurors: Gianni Massaro, Marcello Veneziani, Orazio Carabini, Augusto Minzolini, Vittorio Nola, Giordano Bruno Guerri, Alfonso Ruffo, Annamaria Chiariello, Gennaro Guida, Alessandro Masi, Gennaro Sangiuliano, Massimiliano Paolucci. Another award will be presented for “Information for Human Rights” with participation on that jury by the Vice President of the Italian Senate Emma Bonino, a former European Commissioner. The committee for “Sports Journalist of the Year” will consist of Enrico Varriale, Piercarlo Presutti, Manuela Righini, Antonello Valentini, Massimo Corcione, Danilo di Tommaso and Maurizio Ughi. Representatives of the students at Italy’s principal Universities of Journalism will be invited to Ischia. As well as the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, the Premio Ischia will have the official patronage of the Region of Campania, and the presence of its President Antonio Bassolino, the President of Confcommercio of Naples Maurizio Maddaloni, the President of the Istituto di Credito Sportivo Andrea Cardinaletti, the Mayor of Ischia Giuseppe Ferrandino, the Mayor of Lacco Ameno Restituta Irace, the President of the Commissione bilancio of the Region of Campania Nicola Marrazzo, the President of the National Federation of the Italian Press Franco Siddi and the President of the National Order of Journalists of Campania Ottavio Lucarelli. Thanks to the decisive contributions made by Past Presidents Saverio Barbati and Biagio Agnes since its inception, the Premio Ischia International Journalism Award has become one of the most prestigious, authoritative and sought-after recognitions in the communication sector. Presentation of the Awards will take place between 1st and 4th July, in the “Antico borgo” of Ischia Ponte, in a splendid setting near the Castello Aragonese and will be shown in prime time by a national broadcaster.