The MEDEA Award for Professionally Produced Educational Media 2014 is European-wide and is awarded to the best educational media produced by a professional company or semi-professional production unit. The accolade was handed to Saffron and AVA at a ceremony which took place during the Media & Learning Conference in Brussels on 21 November.
The award was presented by esteemed film-maker and educator, Lord David Puttnam. Competition was fierce: a panel of 112 judges reviewed over 237 submissions from 29 different European countries in order to select winners for just two awards and three special prizes.
“We’re really happy that the Digital Prevention Platform has won and we hope that this spotlight on the project helps to spread the vital work that AVA is doing to prevent violence against women and girls,” said Toby Harris, creative lead at Saffron. “I’d also like to congratulate the other finalists, who are using digital media in incredible ways.”
The Digital Prevention Platform is the centrepiece of a viral campaign for action on violence against women and girls which is already resonating with major advocacy organisations, local authorities and political leaders. The award is well timed, as today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the beginning of 16 days of global activism against gender-based violence.
“The Digital Prevention Platform has been built around the premise that contributing and sharing expertise can make a real impact on people’s lives,” says Noorie Sazen, CEO at Saffron Interactive. “This platform incorporates vibrant branding, an engaging elearning experience and makes a whole host of tools and resources available in a way that hasn’t been done before. To see this recognised at a European level is a step towards ending violence against women and girls for good”.
“AVA are thrilled to have won this award,” says Joanna Sharpen, children and young people’s project co-ordinator at AVA. “The Digital Prevention Platform is the culmination of years of research and collaboration with projects around the UK and provides a unique resource which fills a much needed gap. Winning this award shows that it is possible to utilise technology to increase knowledge and confidence around sensitive issues and that ending violence against women and girls is a global priority.”
