All-Ukrainian public organization Road Safety Association jointly with Ukraine National Union of Journalists on March 11 2010 held a press-conference where Contest for the best journalist work was presented. The main topic is “Make the roads safety. Together!” Participants of the Contest are journalists who work in mass media; students who cooperate with mass media in colleges and higher educational establishments; other authors who observe the conditions of the Contest. This is the 1st all-Ukrainian contest on the road safety issues.

In this press conference participated journalists from 27 mass media means – TV channels, radio programs, printed and electronic media, students who work for newspapers in higher educational establishments.

In the press conference the following persons took part:
• Mikhali Berlin, President of Ukrainian Road Safety Association;
• Igor Lubchenko, Head of Ukraine National Union of Journalists;
• Sergiy Budnik, Department Deputy Head of DAI of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine;
• Oleg Zapadniuk, Head of Department for Safety and Security of the Organizational Committee “EURO 2012”
• Olexandr Kharchenko, Acting Director General of Ukraine Information Agency UNIAN;
• Natalia Korol, National Specialist of WHO Bureau in Ukraine;
• Olexandr Golotsvan, Deputy Director of Auto Roads Department under State Service for Auto Roads

M.Berlin informed that on the 3rd of March UN proclaimed the period 2011-2020 as the Decade of Action fro Road Safety. The problem could be solved only with joint effort of power, business, public organizations and mass media.

I. Lubchenko added that Ukraine National Union of Journalists supported the contest since without journalists’ activity road deaths and injuries shall not be overcome. Mass media form public opinion and in this way are able to convince the participants of the traffic to behave on the roads according to the rules.

Aim of the contest “Make the roads safety. Together!” is:
1. to make journalists of electronic and printed media to create and distribute TV and radio programs, write newspaper and magazine publications on the road safety topics;
2. raise public awareness, government and the media to issues of road safety, strengthen and deepen cooperation between the media, public and government agencies to address road safety issues.

The Contest starts on March 15, 2010 and will last through October 1, 2010. The results will be announced on November 17 during all-Ukrainian Road Safety week. Participants should submit to the jury not less that four materials issued within the term of the Contest. The jury admits text and photo publications as well as radio and TV materials.

Awards :
1st Prize (one) – media tour in a European country that achieved significant results in the sphere of road safety;
2nd Prize (two) – 7 000 UAH;
3rd Prize (three) – 3 000 UAH;
Encouragement Prize (five) – 1 000 UAH .

Media whose journalists will be the Contest winners will receive special awards from the Contest sponsors.

The press conference was followed by 4 reports on TV channels, 3 publications in electronic media, articles for the newspapers are being prepared. In the Institute of Journalism a group of students is created who will specialize on preparing materials on road safety issues during their practical work in mass media.