October 15 is the deadline for entry applications for the 1998 Lorenzo Natali Prize for Journalism, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The prize, offered by the European Commission, honors the late Lorenzo Natali, who was vice president of the Commission of the European Communities. Candidates for the prize should be individual journalists working in the print media. They should submit written articles that address democracy or human rights as vital aspects of development.

There are two prizes of 10,000 ECU (U.S. $11,660) to be awarded to the winners, one from the European Union and the other from a developing region. Entries must be for items published or transmitted in general information media between 1 January 1997 and 31 March 1998. Entries must be submitted written in an official language of the European Union or with an adequate translation from the original into one of these languages.

An independent jury made up of media, development and human rights professionals and commission staff may, in special cases, decide to award the prize to a journalist, publication or communication medium distinguished by a special effort to defend human rights and democracy in developing countries. The prize will be awarded by November 30.

For the application form or more information visit the IFJ website at http://www.ifj.org/hrights/natali.html Send your applications to the delegation office of the European Commission in your country if you reside outside of the European Union, or send them to the Lorenzo Natali Prize, European Commission, Directorate General for Development, 200 rue de la Loi, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium, or fax it to the IFJ Secretariat--contact Andrew Clark or Bettina Peters, tel: (322) 223-2265, fax: (322) 219-2976. E-mail (for information only): nataliprize@pophost.eunet.be. Contact addresses of EC offices worldwide are available on the web at http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg1a/site/contacts/delegations.htm