EU launches 20th edition of Samir Kassir Award
The European Union and Samir Kassir Foundation launched Tuesday the 20th edition of the Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press.
The award, which has been granted by the European Union since 2006, honors the Lebanese journalist and writer Samir Kassir, who was assassinated in 2005. The competition for the award has attracted since its creation more than 3,600 candidates from the Middle East, the Gulf and North Africa and 55 journalists have won the award so far.
"Twenty years later, the Samir Kassir Award remains as relevant as ever. For freedom of the press is not merely a principle. It is a fundamental right in any democracy. Without a free press, the next 20 years could see even more violence, oppression and misinformation, not only in the region, but also in Europe and other corners of the world," said the Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon Sandra De Waele.
Acting President of the Samir Kassir Foundation, Malek Mrowa, added: "The 20th edition of the Samir Kassir Award seeks to recognize and celebrate the bravery of journalists whose words and stories defy all weapons and continue to shine a light in the darkest corners. It will be granted amid pains that reached their peak during the past year, and new hopes drawn by radical, developing changes."
The Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press is open to professional journalists from North Africa, the Middle East, and the Gulf. The deadline for sending in contributions is 1 April 2025. Three awards will be granted for the best:
- Opinion Article
- Investigative Article
- Audiovisual News Report
The contributions must be centered on one or more of the following topics: rule of law, human rights, good governance, fight against corruption, freedom of expression, democratic development, and citizen participation. The winner of 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 one observer representing the European Union. The names of the winners will be communicated during the prize-awarding ceremony, which will take place on 3 June 2025 in Beirut, one day after the 20th anniversary of Samir Kassir's assassination.
The contest regulations, application forms, rules, and conditions are available on the Award's website: www.samirkassiraward.org
Registration closes on 1 April 2025.
For more information: coordination@prixsamirkassir.org
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
MTV Lebanon
13 hours ago
- MTV Lebanon
01 Jul 2025 18:56 PM PM Salam leads a series of ministerial meetings
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam received at the Grand Serail, a delegation from the Beirut Municipal Council, headed by its Chairman Ibrahim Zeidan. The meeting addressed the most prominent challenges facing the city of Beirut in terms of development and services, in light of the current economic and social circumstances. A number of proposals and demands related to improving the performance of public facilities, in general, and strengthening municipal work were also presented. During the meeting, Premier Salam emphasized the "need to support local authorities to enable them to perform their duties as required." After the meeting, Zeidan said the municipal council delegation discussed with Premier Salam the topics and services related to the city of Beirut, and briefed him on their work program in terms of urgent and long term projects. Premier Salam later received a delegation from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), headed by Force Commander General Diodato Abagnara. During the meeting, the discussion touched on the situation on the ground in south Lebanon, the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and the ongoing cooperation between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), particularly with regard to intensifying coordination and joint operations. The emerging challenges facing the international forces' mission were also addressed. Premier Salam affirmed "the Lebanese government's full commitment to UN Resolution 1701 and its keenness to ensuring the appropriate environment that enables UNIFIL to fully implement its mandate," emphasizing "the importance of preserving the safety of its personnel." In this context, President Salam noted that "Lebanon had officially sent a letter to the United Nations requesting an extension of UNIFIL's mandate for an additional year, ending on August 31, 2026, in accordance with the Lebanese government's decision issued on May 14, 2025." On the other hand, Salam met with the Chargé d'Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy in Lebanon, Mohammed Reda Al-Husseini, with whom he discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance cooperation in areas of common interest. Salam also received the Bangladeshi Ambassador to Lebanon, Major General Muhammad Jubayer Salehin, with whom he discussed te bilateral relations between the two countries.
Nahar Net
14 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Israel steps up attacks in Gaza ahead of Netanyahu's US visit
by Naharnet Newsdesk 01 July 2025, 11:43 Israel's military said Tuesday that it had expanded its operations in Gaza, where residents reported fierce gunfire and shelling days ahead of a planned trip to Washington by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The intensified operations came after days of mounting calls for a ceasefire, with US President Donald Trump -- whom Netanyahu is slated to meet with next week -- among those urging Israel to strike a new deal to halt the war and bring home the hostages still held in Gaza. Israel's campaign to destroy the Palestinian militant group Hamas has continued unabated, however, with Gaza's civil defense agency reporting Israeli forces killed 17 people on Tuesday. In response to reports of deadly strikes in the north and south of the territory, the Israeli army told AFP it was "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities". Separately, it said Tuesday morning that in recent days it had "expanded its operations to additional areas within the Gaza Strip, eliminating dozens of terrorists, and dismantling hundreds of terror infrastructure sites both above and below ground". Raafat Halles, 39, from the Shujaiya district of Gaza City district, said "air strikes and shelling have intensified over the past week", and tanks have been advancing. "I believe that every time negotiations or a potential ceasefire are mentioned, the army escalates crimes and massacres on the ground," he said. "I don't know why." Amer Daloul, a 44-year-old resident of Gaza City, also reported fiercer clashes between Israeli forces and militants in recent days, telling AFP that he and his family were forced to flee the tent they were living in at dawn on Tuesday "due to heavy and random gunfire and shelling". In the southern city of Rafah, resident Mohammed Abdel Aal, 41, said "tanks are present" in most parts of town. - Aid seekers killed - Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that eight people were killed near aid distribution sites in central and southern Gaza Tuesday, in the latest in a long-running spate of deadly attacks on those seeking food. One person was killed and 50 wounded when tanks and drones opened fire as crowds were waiting to collect aid near the Wadi Gaza Bridge in the middle of the territory, Bassal said. The civil defense said another six people were killed nearby while trying to reach the same aid center. Asked for comment, the Israeli military told AFP its forces "fired warning shots to distance suspects who approached the troops", adding it was not aware of any injuries but would review the incident. At least one more person was killed near another aid center in Rafah, the civil defense said. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers. A group of 169 aid organizations called Monday for an end to Gaza's "deadly" new US- and Israeli-backed aid distribution scheme, which they said forced starving civilians to "trek for hours through dangerous terrain and active conflict zones, only to face a violent, chaotic race" for food. They urged a return to the UN-led aid mechanism that existed until March, when Israel imposed a full blockade on humanitarian assistance entering Gaza during an impasse in truce talks with Hamas. The new scheme's administrator, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has distanced itself from reports of aid seekers being killed near its centers. The Israeli army said it had also opened a review into a strike on a seafront Gaza cafe on Monday that it said had targeted militants. The civil defense agency reported that the attack killed 24 people. Maher Al-Baqa, 40, the brother of the owner of the cafe, told AFP that several of his relatives including two nephews were killed in the strike. "It's one of the most well-known cafes on the Gaza coast, frequented by educated youth, journalists, artists, doctors, engineers and hardworking people," he said. "They used to feel free and safe there -- it was like a second home to them." The military maintained it had taken steps "to mitigate the risk of harming civilians using aerial surveillance". - PM's US visit - Netanyahu announced he would visit Trump and senior U.S. security officials next week, after previously saying Israel's campaign against Iran had created "opportunities", including for freeing hostages held in Gaza. Israel's declaration of victory in the recent 12-day war has raised pressure on it to put a similar end to more than 20 months of devastating fighting in Gaza. "Taking advantage of the success is no less important than achieving the success," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Hamas official Taher al-Nounou told AFP the group is "ready to agree to any proposal if it will lead to an end to the war and a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of occupation forces". "So far, there has been no breakthrough."
Nahar Net
14 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Report: Hezbollah wants real defense strategy before handing over arms
by Naharnet Newsdesk 01 July 2025, 16:49 Hezbollah has a 'different approach' regarding the paper that has been submitted by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack to Lebanon, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Tuesday. 'Hezbollah is linking the fate of its arms to reaching a real defense strategy and it believes that there is no need to rush to giving up the card of strength that is in Lebanon's hand before compelling Israel to implement its part of the ceasefire agreement,' the daily said. The Iran-backed group sees that 'the priority is withdrawal from the five points, halting the attacks, delineating the land border and releasing the captives, in addition to the reconstruction file,' al-Liwaa added, quoting unnamed sources.
