The prize, awarded since 2006 by the European Union, pays tribute to the Lebanese journalist and writer Samir Kassir, who was assassinated in 2005. More than 3,200 journalists from the Middle East, the Gulf and North Africa have taken part in the prize since its creation and 45 of them were rewarded. European Union Ambassador to Lebanon Ralph Tarraf said: “In a region where press freedom is limited and information is often controlled by the state, access to trusted journalism and quality has never been more important. Journalism awards play a vital role in recognizing the effort of media professionals. Samir Kassir Foundation President Gisèle Khoury added:
“Unfortunately, freedom of the press is in a difficult situation today, but this reinforces the idea that the media serves as a tool of resistance against repressive regimes. The press is effective in holding people accountable and helping to end impunity. Professional journalism plays arguably the most important role in the accountability process.” The Samir Kassir Prize for Press Freedom is open for nominations from countries in the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf until April 1, 2023.
Three prizes will be awarded: – Best Opinion Article – Best Investigative Article – Best Audiovisual News Report
Contributions should focus on one or more of the following themes: rule of law, human rights, good governance, anti-corruption, freedom of expression, democratic development or citizen participation. The winner in each of the three categories will receive a prize of €10,000. The jury will be composed of seven voting members from Arab and European media, and an observer representing the European Union. The results will be announced on the day of the award ceremony, which will be held on June 1, 2023 in Beirut, the day before the 18th commemoration of the assassination of Samir Kassir.
This article is originally published on libnanews.com
