The best of children’s television, honoured by the internationally-recognised Prix Jeunesse International competition, will feature in two days of screenings and seminars organised by the Goethe-Institut Cyprus, in partnership with the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research and the Cyprus Community Media Centre. The two-day event will take place on December 12th and 13th at the Home for Cooperation in Nicosia’s buffer zone starting from 9am.
This is the first time a Prix Jeunesse International screening is being held in Cyprus, aimed at encouraging dialogue, a deeper understanding of quality in children’s media, and professional cooperation in the field of children’s media between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
“Children in Europe spend an average of 150 minutes a day in front of the television, but are they watching programmes that are educational, stimulating, and age-appropriate?” said Björn Luley, director of the Goethe-Institut in Nicosia. “We want to showcase how children’s television can develop intercultural understanding in Cyprus and across the world.”
Since its inception in 1964, Prix Jeunesse International has grown to become the highest honour that can be bestowed on children’s television productions. Every two years, producers from around the world attend the event in Munich to learn from one another and identify the next big show in children’s television. One of its early winners was ‘Sesame Street’, which was sold to over 50 countries within four years of winning the prize.
Entries have been received from all over the world but there hasn’t been an entry from Cyprus yet. This event will hopefully encourage Cypriot media practitioners to enter the competition.
The organisers are calling on children’s television producers, educators, journalists, researchers and media students from across the divide to attend the seminars
and screenings.
The films screened in Nicosia will be the winners of the most recent biennial Prix Jeunesse International film festival held last year in Munich under the theme ‘Different and Same – Celebrating Diversity.’ The programme for the seminar for adult experts on Monday, 12 December 2011 will be subdivided into different age categories: 12-15 year olds, 7-11 year olds and up to six years old. On Tuesday 13 December 2011 there will be screenings for schoolchildren aged 8-10 years old and screenings for parents and their children aged 6-12 years old from 5-7pm.
For more information about Prix Jeunesse International, please visit: www.prixjeunesse.de
For more information please contact Sarah or Beran on +357-22-662269 or 00905338425277, or email info@cypruscommunitymedia.org
About the Goethe-Institut Cyprus:
The Goethe-Institut is Germany’s cultural institution operational worldwide, designed to promote the study of German abroad and encourage international cultural exchange. It also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on its culture, society and politics.
www.goethe.de
About CCMC:
The Cyprus Community Media Centre aims to encourage community media in Cyprus and support local organisations in communicating their message to the public. The Centre does this through training, productions and tailored support. The CCMC works in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Action for Cooperation and Trust (ACT) in Cyprus. www.cypruscommunitymedia.org
About AHDR:
The AHDR contributes to the advancement of historical understanding amongst the public and more specifically amongst children, youth and educators by providing access to learning opportunities for individuals of every ability and every ethnic, religious, cultural and social background, based on the respect for diversity and the dialogue of ideas. AHDR is based in the Home for Cooperation, opposite Ledra Palace in Nicosia.