Greetings from the ARD Chairman and the Directors-General The work of media professionals has been very much centred on the coronavirus and its many serious effects for months, and rightly so. This does not, however, in any way detract from the relevance of other topics, or even their explosive nature, or the need to continue to address them vigorously. Racism, anti-Semitism, extremism: Even in times of a pandemic, they are not just one problem out of many; they challenge the very foundations of our community. Systematic attempts have developed out of a muted defence against the supposed stranger to sever the humane roots of European societies.

The European CIVIS Media Prize for Integration and Cultural Diversity sets a strong signal against this development, which has a considerable public appeal. It sharpens awareness about the importance of people from very different origins and backgrounds living together peacefully. It draws attention to what is encouraging, but also to what is worthy of criticism. It raises awareness among those who, on television, radio, the Internet or in the cinema, speak in exemplary fashion about what works well in European immigration societies and where there are conflicts.

One of the core tasks of the public broadcasters is to create understanding and awareness where ignorance spreads and threatens to develop into rejection or even hatred. The European CIVIS Media Prize for Integration and Cultural Diversity helps to underline this.

The Association of Public Broadcasting Corporations in the Federal Republic of Germany (ARD), represented by its Chairman, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), Deutsche Welle (DW), the Radio and Television Corporation of Slovenia (RTV Slovenia) and Deutschlandradio, each represented by their Directors-General, congratulate the nominees and hope that the prize-giving ceremony will be a success!