30 January 2026 – The SWITCH Project announces the launch of the second edition of the SWITCH Journalism Award, inviting journalists across Europe to submit outstanding work on sustainable and healthy diets. Building on the success of the 2025 edition, the 2026 award continues to highlight the essential role of journalism in accelerating the transition toward sustainable food systems.
Food systems lie at the intersection of climate change, biodiversity, health, and social equity. As Europe faces urgent sustainability challenges, accurate and impactful journalism plays a crucial role in informing citizens, influencing policy, and inspiring behavioural change.
The SWITCH Journalism Award recognises the essential role of journalism in shaping public discourse on sustainable food systems, healthy diets, and food innovation. It seeks to reward stories that raise awareness, stimulate debate, and inspire action across Europe.
Scope and thematic areas
The SWITCH Journalism Award 2026 invites journalists to submit articles addressing one or more of the following topics:
- Sustainable and healthy diets – Practices and strategies promoting environmentally and nutritionally sound diets
- Food education and awareness – Communication, education, and citizen engagement in the food transition
- Innovation and digitalisation in agri-food systems – Technologies and approaches transforming food production and consumption
- Food justice and accessibility – Inequalities and policies for inclusive access to healthy and sustainable food
- Policies and behavioural change – Strategies encouraging sustainable consumer choices
Timeline and submission process
The submission window for the SWITCH Journalism Award opens on 30 January 2026 and closes on 9 March 2026. Journalists and media professionals are invited to submit their entries via the official SWITCH website: https://switchdiet.eu/switch-journalism-award/.
The award is open to articles submitted in the following languages: Italian, Spanish, French, German, Swedish, and English. Full participation guidelines and competition rules are available online and are detailed in the Terms of Reference.
Shortlisted articles will be published for public voting (complementing the jury evaluation process) in March 2026, with winners confirmed in early April 2026.
Award ceremony and prize
The award ceremony will take place during Venice Climate Week (3 – 8 June 2026), bringing together journalists, researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders working on sustainable food systems. Winners will be invited to participate in dedicated networking and dissemination activities, increasing the visibility of their work and its impact on the European sustainable food community.