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PRESS RELEASE


Updated 18 November, 1999 		Reuters Foundation

Queen Noor presents new global environmental journalism award

LONDON, 17 November 1999 -- Queen Noor of Jordan visits London on Friday to present a major new environmental journalism award.

The Reuters-IUCN Media Award has been won by U.S. journalist Michael Pollan for an article he wrote for the New York Times Magazine on genetically modified food.

Queen Noor, who has consistently campaigned for humanitarian and environmental causes, will present the award at Reuters headquarters in Fleet Street on Friday evening.

"The winning articles were informative, investigative and well written," Queen Noor said. "They were quite difficult to rate, for each had its unique strengths. But all reinforced a compelling message for concerted global action to address pressing environmental challenges affecting the quality of life of people the world over and our prospects for sustainable development."

Pollan, whose article was selected from more than 1,000 by journalists in over 50 countries, said the award was "a great honor."

Pollan was intrigued that protests over genetically modified foods were held around the world - but not in the United States. His winning article took as a starting point the dillemma he faced over whether to eat genetically modified potatoes grown in his own garden.

His prize is a three month Reuters Foundation fellowship at Green College, Oxford.

The award jury included Queen Noor, a patron of The World Conservation Union -IUCN, Ecuadorean Environment Minister and IUCN President Yolanda Kakabadse, South African Education Minister Kader Asmal, Earth Council Chairman Maurice Strong and Reuters Chief News Editor David Rogers.

The strong interest this year has led Reuters and IUCN to extend next year's award to broadcast and Internet journalism.

For further information about the award, please see the website: www.iucn.org/reuters

For details of press access to the ceremony, please contact Jo Weir at the Reuters Foundation. Tel: 0171 542 5872 or mobile 07990 56 5872

Additional information is available from Javed Ahmad, IUCN Director of Communications. Tel: ++4122 999 0293 or mobile ++4179 471 5044

Pollan was chosen from eight regional winners. The other seven are listed below:

Reuters Foundation was set up by Reuters, the global news and information group, in 1982 as an educational trust to promote high standards in journalism through study and training. Over 1700 professional journalists have benefited from Reuters Foundation training programmes. The Foundation also supports a global range of humanitarian causes recommended by Reuters employees around the world.

IUCN - The World Conservation Union was created in 1948. It is the world's largest conservation-related organisation, bringing together 76 states, 111 government agencies, 669 NGOs, 36 affiliates, and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 140 countries in a unique world partnership. Over the last half century, IUCN has helped over 50 countries to prepare and implement National Conservation Strategies within the framework of global conventions that it has participated in drafting. Through its world-wide secretariat, comprising offices in 42 countries, IUCN contributes to the implementation of a wide range of activities linking local action with global initiatives.

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