On October 22 at the Central House of Journalist in Moscow the award ceremony for the winners of the International Competition of Journalists "Despite" named after Larisa Yudina was held. The competition was established by "Novaya Gazeta", the Association of the Russian Regional Media Leaders, Glasnost Defense Foundation and "Yabloko" party in commemoration of Larisa Yudina, the Chief Editor of "Sovetskaya Kalmykia" newspaper killed in Elista. The event is conducted annually, on the birthday of Larisa Yudina. The awardees in the competition are the journalists and media who perform their professional duty under any circumstances – despite all obstacles.
This year "Despite" became international for the first time: along with Russian media, it accommodated the representatives of other CIS countries (Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine). The 27 winners included our Armenian colleagues, too.
"Golos Armenii" was the first non-Russian newspaper that was awarded. The other awardee from Armenia was the Chief Editor of "Urartu" newspaper Iosif Verdian.