By Kemo Cham
This award by the Thompson Reuters
Foundation has a lot to do with Sierra Leone yet very little, if anything, is
known about it here.
First launched in 2002, it was
established in honor of American freelance journalist Kurt Schork, who was
killed that year while on assignment for Reuters in Sierra Leone.
The awards, which come in two parts,
and are unique to the print media, recognise the work of reporters who seek to
illuminate the human condition through courageous reporting of conflict,
corruption, human rights transgressions and other fundamental issues of the
day.
The local reporter category
recognises the often over-looked work of journalists in developing nations or
countries in transition who write about events in their homeland. The second
category is for freelance journalists who travel to the world’s conflict zones,
usually at great personal risk, to witness and report the impact and
consequences of events.
Such works can encompass war
reporting, human rights issues, cross-border troubles, corruption or other
controversial matters impacting on people’s lives. Judges look for
professionalism, high journalistic standards, and evidence of dedication and
courage in obtaining the story.
The finalist for the 2016 Awards,
the fifteenth edition, were unveiled on last week. Four Nigerian journalists
are among seven Africans who made the short list of 16 in the 2016 edition.
Other African journalists in the shortlist come from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and
Egypt.
On the Freelance category are: James
Harkin (Ireland), Antony Lowenstein (Australia), Jeong May (Canada), Sara
Williams (UK/Canada), Sophie McBain (UK), Eric Reidy (USA), Iona Craig (Ireland)
and Philip Obaji (Nigeria).
On the Local Reporter category are:
Fisayo Soyombo (Nigeria), Aylaa Abo Shahba (Egypt), Chitrangada Choudhury
(India), Montanrayo Joel (Nigeria), Olatunji Ololade (Nigeria), Ray Mwareya
(Zimbabwe), Umer Ali (Pakistan) and Brian Ligomeka (Malawi).
The organizers said 93 entries were
received in all – 37 of them freelance and 56 local reporters – from 36
countries.
Each entrant is required to submit
three articles published between June 1, 2015 and May 31, 2016.
The winner in each category will be
announced in September. The 2016 Presentation Ceremony, hosted by the Thomson
Reuters Foundation in the Thomson Reuters Auditorium, Canary Wharf, London, is
on Thursday evening, October 27.
© Politico 12/07/16
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