Canadian Journalists For Free Expression Honour Courageous Reporting
Feb 1, 2023
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression is pleased to announce its 2023 Gala: A Night To Honour Courageous Reporting, will be held on February 15th in Toronto.
The gala will be guest hosted by CBC’s Elamin Abdelmahmoud and Nil Köksal. The fundraising event comes at a time when a record number of journalists are imprisoned around the world, and online threats against the media and disinformation campaigns have become commonplace.
Margaret Atwood, an honoured guest and a sponsor of the event, said: “Freedom of expression is a fundamental of democracy!”
We are also honoured to welcome as our guests, eight Afghan journalists who sought refuge in Canada after their lives were threatened following the rise of the Taliban – an acknowledgement of their bravery and the work that remains to be done to help at risk journalists in Afghanistan and around the world.
The CJFE International Press Freedom Award will go to photojournalists Mstyslav Chernov, Evgeniy Maloletka and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko, who took extraordinary risks to stay in Mariupol after the Russian army cut communication lines to the city and other international journalists left. Their harrowing evidence of civilian deaths and destruction of the city is an historic record that cannot be erased.
A second CJFE International Press Freedom Award will go to Iranian journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, who remain in prison for their coverage of last September’s death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested and beaten by Iran’s so-called morality police for not wearing her headscarf properly.
Winners of the CJFE Tara Singh Hayer Memorial Award and the CJFE Arnold Amber Award for Investigative Journalism will be announced at the gala. And CJFE is also pleased to partner with the Coalition for Women in Journalism for their presentation of the inaugural Kathy Gannon Legacy Award.
One of Canada’s most noted political cartoonists, Michael de Adder, will also be in attendance and has agreed to donate all proceeds from the sale of his prints to CJFE’s Journalists in Distress Fund, which provides emergency assistance to journalists whose life or well-being is threatened.
CJFE is profoundly grateful for the support of its sponsors including our Premier Sponsor, Google News Initiative; Evening Sponsor, CBC/Radio Canada; Magic Moments sponsor, Margaret Atwood; Reception Sponsor, TD Bank; CWA Canada for its sponsorship of the Arnold Amber Award for Investigative Journalism; and Michael de Adder for the Art Exhibit.
About CJFE
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression defends free expression and those with the courage to seek and report the truth. CJFE has deep roots in journalism. For more than 40 years, we have championed free media and the role it plays in creating a just and equitable society. Our organization supports and upholds the rights of all global citizens to hold leaders to account, to ask hard questions, and to use their voices to speak the truth.
SOURCE: Cision Newswire
