Maltese media will get a bit more colourful, thanks to an EU-funded project which seeks to encourage coverage of non-EU foreigners living in Malta.

Coordinated by SOS Malta, the Media InterAct project has been designed to mainstream the integration of third country nationals and offer the general public an accurate picture of what it is like to live in Malta as a foreigner.

The project was introduced yesterday, the eve of international migrants’ day, by representatives of SOS Malta and their two partner organisations, PBS and the Institute of Maltese Journalists.

A 13-episode lifestyle and cooking TV programme called Minn Lenti Interkulturali will be aired on TVM and E22 between January and March. The show will blend cookery with third country nationals’ accounts of their integration into Maltese society.

The project will also lead to the creation of a pilot magazine which will riff off “integration” as a key theme. The magazine will be released later in 2012.

In an attempt at encouraging journalists to report on integration, a new journalism award is being introduced as part of the Malta Journalism Awards.

The award will recognise the efforts of journalists that contribute towards greater coverage of third country nationals living in Malta. Stories which focus exclusively on migration or asylum issues will however not be eligible. Speaking at a roundtable conference last week, Ivorian Ousamane Dicko had pointed out that although there were plenty of stories about detention centres and asylum seekers, there were far fewer about migrants who contributed positively to Maltese society.

Award candidates must be nominated by a third person, including their news editor or head of publication. Eligible entries must have published or broadcast within the 2011 calendar year and must be submitted by 4 February 2012.

Those seeking further information should contact SOS Malta on 21244123 or visit the SOS Malta website.