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On September 17, GMF awarded the 2007 Peter R. Weitz Journalism Prize for excellence in reporting on European affairs to Colin Nickerson of The Boston Globe and Marcus Walker of The Wall Street Journal.  Nickerson, formerly the Globe's Berlin-based European bureau chief, received the $10,000 senior prize for his insightful work focusing on key issues facing Europeans, including immigration and Germany's reconciliation with its Cold War history.  The $5,000 junior prize for journalists 35 and under was awarded to Walker, also based in Berlin, for his reporting on employment and social welfare systems throughout Europe.

The afternoon reception featured a keynote address by Denmark's Minister of Foreign Affairs Per Stig Møller.  In his speech, the minister remarked on the importance of excellence in reporting on European affairs in the United States and the crucial contribution of the media to increasing transatlantic cooperation and mutual understanding.  Møller devoted much of his address to two interwoven challenges high on the transatlantic and global agendas -- energy security and climate change. The minister outlined his proposals to work together on the dual issues, including a "new and ambitious global climate agreement."  He emphasized that U.S.-European coordination on climate change and energy security offers a good opportunity to demonstrate the value of transatlantic cooperation.

The Peter R. Weitz Prize was established in 1999 to honor the memory of Peter R. Weitz, former director of programs at GMF's Washington headquarters, for his interest in promoting coverage of European affairs by American journalists. Past winners of the senior prize include Sebastian Rotella of the Los Angeles Times,  Craig Whitlock and Peter Finn of the The Washington Post, Roger Cohen of The New York Times and James Kitfield of the National Journal.  The senior prize is open to all journalists working for American publications; the junior prize is for journalists 35 and under.  Winners are selected by a jury of distinguished American and European journalists.