European association of daily newspapers in minority and regional languages
The European Association of Daily Newspapers in Minority and Regional Languages (Minority Dailies Association - MIDAS) is a politically independent non-profit organization of the minority press based at the European Academy in Bolzano ( EURAC ).
MIDAS was founded in 2001 by the editors-in-chief of several daily newspapers from more than ten European language communities. The goals are to coordinate common newspaper-related issues; Cooperation in the areas of information exchange, printing and marketing; Organization of campaigns to market the members' newspapers and support for minority languages and their print media through government and EU institutions.
Every year, MIDAS invites journalists from its member newspapers and journalists from majority media to a joint study visit to a minority area, during which information is exchanged and knowledge about minority protection and cultural diversity in Europe is conveyed. To recognize journalists who set journalistic standards and who write special contributions to cultural diversity and the protection of minority languages, MIDAS awards the Otto von Habsburg and Midas Journalist Prize.
31 daily newspapers from Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Romania, Switzerland, Slovakia and Spain have joined the association. The member publishers' newspapers reach a readership of 3 million in thirteen languages.
