On May 20, 2019, the Award Ceremony of the reality show “Journalistic Battle” took place within the framework of the project “Access to information and investigative journalism for better- informed citizens”, which is co-funded by the European Union, implemented by “Freedom of Information Center of Armenia” NGO (FOICA) in cooperation with the Maastricht-based European Journalism Centre.

Journalism and Law participant students, heads of Universities and Journalism departments, Line Urban, EU International Cooperation Specialist in Armenia, EJC representative Josh Laporte, other international organisations and local CSOs, Project organizers participated in the ceremony.

During the reality-show competition, 36 students from leading universities in Armenia (Yerevan State University, Armenian State Pedagogical University, State Linguistic University named after V. Brusov, Gavar State University, French University in Armenia, Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture and Sport) competed with each other by preparing investigative reports on corruption topics.

Anoushik Melkonyan, a student at the French University in Armenia, won the final prize, which was awarded by EJC representative Josh Laporte. “It was a great honor for me to be a jury member of the Journalistic Battle project. The quality of your reportages improved gradually. You really have a great role in the life of the society, and people in Armenia are already starting to understand the importance of investigative journalism, “said Josh Laporte addressing the students.

Welcoming remarks were made by Line Urban, EU International Cooperation Specialist in Armenia. “I am very happy to be here today. It is very important that you have critical thinking, curiosity, and want to share your thoughts with other people. It is good that you are open to criticism, you can respect the opinion of the audience, although you do not agree with it very often”, she said.

Rima Grigoryan from Yerevan State University took the second place. The award was given by FOICA President, “Informed Armenia” director Shushan Doydoyan.
“I am convinced that this generation of journalists will develop journalism that meets the highest standards of journalistic ethics in Armenia, the lack of which we feel today. As a jury member, I recorded that except for 1-2 video reports, there was not any case of gross violation of journalistic ethics”, said Shushan Doydoyan, thanking students for their professional work.

Mariam Avanesyan, a student at the State Linguistic University of Valery Brusov, won the “Audience symphathy” nomination. The prize was awarded by Karen Andreasyan, the creator of the “Journalistic Battle” project.

“Without any journalism and a judicial system, no country can be considered normal. Our country has now solved the issue of executive and legislative powers, but unfortunately, the judicial power, as well as the issues of the fourth power (journalism), are not yet resolved enough and we all have to solve them.
Advocate Vanik Margaryan awarded the winning student of the moot court organized within the framework of the project.

“Especially in the case of investigative journalism, the risk of being in court is high. I would like to add that the selected reportage was on the verge of defamation and made my work harder as a judge, “he said and added that under independent judicial system with the help of such well-trained lawyer students investigative journalism would have high results.

Closing speeches were made by the winners and representatives of the universities.