New generation of Fellows Selected for 2021

Ten journalists have been selected to take part in this year’s Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence. Over the next nine months, they will be working on the reporting projects that secured them a place in this prestigious programme.

The Fellows were chosen from more than 100 applicants from the 14 countries covered by the programme.

“It was a difficult choice,” said jury member Remzi Lani, from the Albanian Media Institute. “The applications gave us a picture of highly engaged journalists in countries that are at a crossroads.”

Jury member Kristof Bender, from the European Stability Initiative, said there was “a great variety of topics” this year. “All have the potential to turn a national or regional investigation into a story of interest for readers across Europe.”

This year we will have three fellows from Poland, two each from Greece and the Czech Republic, and one each from Kosovo, Croatia and Slovakia. These are the 2021 Fellows:

  • Maria Wilczek, Warsaw-based deputy editor of Notes from Poland
  • Mateusz Mazzini, journalist with Polityka weekly and Wolna Sobota, Gazeta Wyborcza’s weekend magazine
  • Mateusz Kowalik, reporter for Krytyka Polityczna in Warsaw
  • Alexia Kalaitzi, a Thessaloniki-based journalist with the Greek public broadcaster
  • Nektaria Stamouli, contributor for Politico Europe with an extensive background in business journalism
  • Anna Koslerova, freelance journalist with bylines for Vice, The Guardian and Al Jazeera
  • Vojtech Berger, an editor with Czech independent outlet, Hlidacipes.org
  • Matea Grgurinovic from Faktograf, a Croatian portal specialized in fact-checking
  • Nghadhnjim Avdyli, a journalist with the independent portal Kosovo2.0
  • Eva Kubaniova, a Slovak journalist with the Investigate.Cz portal

The Fellowship helps journalists produce compelling longform features, analysis and investigations. It highlights strong storytelling and rigorous, on-the-ground reporting – qualities traditionally associated with the best magazine journalism.

Fellows will receive 3000-euro grants, as well as comprehensive editorial support and mentoring. They will be given the opportunity to win further awards for the best three stories, as well as to become a part of BIRN’s alumni group through which they will have access to new opportunities within our growing regional network.

The Fellowship has been running since 2007 in cooperation with the ERSTE Foundation.

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