Deadline: 15-Feb-21
UNESCO is seeking nominations for 2021 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. The Prize is funded by the Cano Foundation (Colombia), the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation (Finland), the Namibia Media Trust (Namibia) and Stichting Democratie en Media (Netherlands).
The objective of the Prize is in conformity with UNESCO’s policies and is related to the program of the Organization in the field of communication and information and, more specifically, to the priority given to promoting an enabling environment for freedom of expression and freedom of information.
UNESCO established the World Press Freedom Prize in honor of Guillermo Cano, a Colombian journalist who died in the exercise of his profession. The purpose of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is to reward each year a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if risks have been involved.
World Press Freedom Day 2021 will take place in Windhoek, Namibia, on 3 May 2021.
Prize Information
Awarded annually, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (3 May), the Prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented with the sum of US$ 25,000.
Criteria
- When UNESCO has received the funding for the Prize, the Director-General of UNESCO shall officially invite the submission of nominations to the Secretariat of the Prize, by 15 February, from the governments of Member States, in consultation with their National Commissions, as well as from international and regional professional and non-governmental organizations active in the fields of journalism and freedom of expression. The Jury shall vote, by electronic means, around 15 March and shall notify the Director-General of its choice.
- Nominations shall be submitted to the Director-General by the governments of Member States, in consultation with their National Commissions, and by international and regional professional and non-governmental organizations active in the field of journalism and freedom of expression A self-nomination cannot be considered.
- Each nomination shall be accompanied by a written recommendation, which shall include, in English or French, inter alia:
- a description of the candidate’s background and achievements;
- the candidate’s contributions of major importance to the promotion of freedom of the press, submitted to the Jury for consideration;
- a definition of the candidate’s contribution to the Prize’s objectives.
- a high-resolution photo portrait of the candidate
For more information, visit https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-seeking-nominations-unescoguillermo-cano-world-press-freedom-prize-2021