Two Teams from Croatia and One from Romania Win Top Honors at the Second MoJo Arena Edition
The winners of the second edition of MoJo Arena – The Mobile Journalism Competition were announced during an international final held on May, 9th. Fifteen student teams from five countries competed, producing journalistic video stories using only mobile phones, under the guidance of experienced mentors from the media industry.
The grand prize went to Croatian students Ela Hamzić and Nina Čepo from the University of Zagreb for their story „Moto Wake-up Call„, a compelling report covering an annual motorcycle event in the city of Bjelovar, Croatia.
Second place was awarded to the Romanian team of Clara Grigor and Tudor Marinescu from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, University of Bucharest. Their mini-documentary, titled „Unseen. Untold.”, explored the often-overlooked issue of loneliness among the elderly in Romania.
Third place was claimed by another Croatian team — Viktorija Kristić and Helena Lucija Vuković — for their report „Nismo Same (We Are Not Alone)”, which focused on an NGO providing physical, emotional, and psychological support to women battling cancer.
In total, 30 students from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in this year’s edition of MoJo Arena. Each team was paired with a mentor from their own country and tasked with producing a 5–7-minute story about people, places, or meaningful social topics from their local context.
“After organizing the first edition in 2021, I was thrilled to see the competition expand internationally this year. Journalism knows no borders, and powerful stories transcend language and geography. We are already planning a third edition, with even more international teams, because we believe in the power of collaboration between students, educators, and industry professionals,” said Anamaria Neagu, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bucharest and founder of the competition.
The student teams were mentored by respected professionals including Ștefan Vasile (Executive Producer, Euronews Romania), Azra Delmanović Avdić (Journalist), Cristina Radu (Journalist, Snoop.ro), Tena Perišin, (Senior producer/ Student Television, University of Zagreb), Cristian Petru (Editor/Presenter, TVR1), Mihai Ghiță (Editor-in-Chief, Kanal D News), Petra Kovacevic (Journalist & Professor), Mădălina Chițac (Journalist, Antena 1), Valentin Stan (Journalist, Digi 24), and Marian Andrei (Journalist, ProTV), Azra Delmanović Avdić (Journalist), Lamija Alečković (Freelance Journalist, MoJo Trainer), Dejan Oblak(MoJo Trainer, Student Television), Renata Šimić (Journalist), and Vitalie Guțu (Mojo trainer, journalist and professor).
“It’s crucial for students to practice what they learn in class. Developing a journalistic story from idea to finished product — while facing real-world challenges — helps them grow professionally. No theory or lecture can replace the kind of learning that happens in the field,” added Gheorghe Anghel, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bucharest and co-organizer of the competition.
The jury for this year’s edition consisted of journalists from participating countries, including:
- Cristian Marin (Senior Producer, Euronews Romania)
- Tudor Mușat (Host, Europa FM; former journalist for B1 TV, Digi24, Realitatea TV)
- Mădălina (Dulamă) Negulescu (former journalist, Realitatea TV)
- Dorina Iurcu (former journalist, Publika TV and Moldova 1)
- Tahir Žustra (Reporter and Presenter, News Max Adria / Nova TV)
- Marin Veršić (Reporter, Vida TV; former journalist at Al Jazeera Balkans and HRT)
MoJo Arena is an international competition for journalism and communication students from Central and Eastern Europe. Participants work in two-person teams (typically a reporter and a cameraperson, though roles are flexible) to create compelling video stories using only smartphones (with optional accessories) and mobile apps. The competition fosters storytelling, creativity, and technical skills, while encouraging participants to tackle important social issues through innovative mobile reporting.