UNESCO awards World Press Freedom Prize to Palestine journalists

UNESCO awarded Thursday its World Press Freedom Prize to all of the Palestinian journalists covering Gaza. This prize honors media workers promoting press freedom, especially in areas facing wars.

While the deaths of 26 journalists during their work were condemned and deplored by UNESCO since October 2023, it has been supporting media workers who report from Gaza by providing essential equipments. UNESCO said it recognizes the serious effects caused by the conflict in Gaza to the freedom of speech in journalism. Therefore, it urged collective actions and protection for reporters working in such difficult situations, not only in Gaza but also in places like Ukraine or Afghanistan.

Mauricio Weibel, the Chair of the International Jury of media professionals, said:

In these times of darkness and hopelessness, we wish to share a strong message of solidarity and recognition to those Palestinian journalists who are covering this crisis in such dramatic circumstances. As humanity, we have a huge debt to their courage and commitment to freedom of expression.

The 31^st World Press Freedom Day Conference has been taking place in Santiago, Chile between May 2 and 4. It aligns with the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, set to re-recognize the cruciality of journalism and freedom of expression in areas facing conflict. Since 1997, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is annually awarded to a person or organization which has contributed to defend and promote the freedom of press in the world.

In the past, UNESCO has paid tribute to women journalists revealing the realities inside the Gaza Strip on International Women’s Day. At that time, it also supported themed with humanitarian assistance and emergency supplies, focusing on female workers there.