Polish newspaper wins top World Young Reader prize

A special "Literacy and Newspapers" prize was also awarded, to the Lexington Herald-Leader in the United States, for a serialised story project designed to teach children about US history and democracy.

Gazeta Wyborcza, with a circulation of nearly half a million daily, up more than 3% last year, has demonstrated a commitment to attracting younger readers in a country where half the population is under 35.

In addition to the top award, the newspaper won Jury Commendations for two projects: a tie-in for young readers with the Euro 2008 football matches, and for a campaign that helped readers protest against Chinese policies in Tibet.

"This newspaper clearly engages its young readers on many fronts, from sport to education to human rights, in creative and effective ways that are sure to build loyalty," the Paris-based WAN said in making the award.

Other winners announced were:

• "Le P¹tit 5 minutes," the children¹s infographic page in Le Journal de Montréal in Canada, in the Editorial category;
  
• The Rheinische Post in Germany, for its "News to Use" for young employees, in the Newspapers in Education category;
  
• Independent Newspapers, Media 24, Avusa and the Associated Independent Press in South Africa, for their "National Teachers Strike Recovery Initiative," in the Public Service category;
  
• and The Express & Echo in the United Kingdom, for it's "Green Shoppers Campaign," in the Brand category.

  Jury Commendations and Special Mention honours were awarded to these newspapers: 24Sata (Croatia), Braunschweiger Zeitung (Germany), Ekstra Bladet (Denmark), l'Equipe (France), Irish Examiner (Ireland), Kakhetis Khma (Georgia), Malayala Manorama (India), Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung (Germany), O Dia (Brazil), and Zero Hora (Brazil).

  Details of the winning entries can be found at
  www.wan-press.org. The annual World Young Reader Prizes, which WAN has awarded since 1998, are supported by the paper manufacturer Norske Skog. The prizes will be presented at the annual WAN Readership Conference, to be held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on 16 and 17 October 2008. Click here for conference details.

  WAN announced the Young Reader Prize winners on International Literacy Day, a United Nations initiative to draw attention to the global problem of illiteracy. WAN contributed to the project by offering a free serialised story, and cartoons from some of the world's best known cartoonists, for newspapers to run in connection with Literacy Day. Details can be found
  here.