Qarib Journalism Awards 2024 – A press release

On November 14th 2024, Canal France International’s Qarib Programme gathered with more than 100 journalists from Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Palestine. at the residence of the French Ambassador, Alexis Le Cour Grandmaison, in Amman to honor exceptional journalistic talent at the Qarib Awards 2024 celebration. This year’s awards highlighted the courage and resilience of journalists in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan.
For many of these journalists, covering war and conflict was never the path they envisioned. Yet, in the face of relentless atrocities in Palestine and Lebanon, they transformed into war correspondents, documenting the devastating realities of conflict while maintaining their commitment to fact-based reporting.
The more than 200 entries reflected the diversity, creativity and range of topics in the Middle East, and made it difficult for the jury to choose the winners. The jury members, Acil Tabara (AFP Bureau Chief, Lebanon), Shurooq Asad (journalist and media consultant, Palestine), Lina Sinjab (filmmaker and BBC correspondent, Lebanon), Salam Omer (media consultant and trainer, Iraq) and Henrik Ahrens (Qarib programme director), were eventually pleased to award the following stories:

Best Coverage of Women Affected by Conflict and Crises

  1. 1st: “Gaza: Voices Under Bombardment” – Podcast by Haneen Saleh and Bisan Odeh (Gaza/Palestine), published on Sowt. Listen Now
  2. 2nd: “The Strong One, Maha Sarsak” – Video by Female Chimeras (Palestine). See the Story
  3. 3rd: “Climate Shocks Women Face in Displacement Camps” – Article by Najlaa Al-Skafi (Gaza/Palestine), published in The Last Story. Read the Article

 

Best Reporting on Finance and Economy by Female Journalists

  1. 1st: “Cyprus Confidential” by Hala Nasreddine (Lebanon), published on Daraj. Check it here
  2. 1st: “Forex Fraud in Iraq” by Manar Al-Zubedy (Iraq) published by NIRIJ. Read it Here
  3. 2nd: “Periods, Pads, and Taxation” by Fanan Al-Shalaby (Jordan) also published on Daraj. Read the Report

Best Reporting on the Impact of Conflict and Corruption on Climate and Environment

  1. 1st Place: “Women in Brick Factories” by Mohammed Al-Sudani (Iraq), published on Raseef22. Read the Report
  2. 2nd Place: “Water for Factories, Not Farms” by Moath Zraiqi and Shurooq Al-Nsour (Jordan), published on Amman.net. Read the Report
  3. 3rd Place: “Recycling Organic Waste with Green Gold” by Adila Shahin (Iraq), published on KirkukNow. Read the Report

Best Coverage of Youth Concerns by Young Journalists (18-30)

  1. 1st Place: “Failing to protect the victim” by Haider Al-Mousawi (Iraq), published on Raseef22. Read the Report
  2. 2nd Place: “Kurds of Iraq: Offline” by Mahmoud Khawaja and Hussam Ali, published on Sowt. Listen Now

Jury Award
“Returning from Life to Life” by Ali Faez Chassab (Iraq), an outstanding piece beyond conventions of typical journalism, an unflinching portrayal of the long-lasting effects of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Published on Al-Safir Al-Arabi. Read the Story

The Qarib Journalism Awards 2024 were more than just an awards ceremony—they were a powerful reminder of the strength and persistence of journalists, especially in places like Gaza and Lebanon. Their work goes beyond reporting; it’s a way to document history, amplify voices, and push for change.

This was also emphasised in the speech by the French ambassador, Alexis Le Cour Grandmaison, who spoke about the importance of journalism in building understanding and connections, especially in difficult times. The Regional Director of the French Development Agency AFD, Yves Guicquero, also emphasised:

“In a region marked by conflicts, independent media play a vital role in providing reliable and balanced information, away from disinformation and hate speech. In this context, the AFD is proud to support the Qarib project since 2020, with the objective of strengthening independent journalism that gives a voice to communities and reflects their real concerns without bias.”

The establishment of the Cross-Border Investigative Journalism Support Initiative was also announced at the ceremony. This support is intended to encourage journalists and media outlets from Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine to work together on common issues. This will help to build connections and strengthen the role of journalism in addressing regional challenges. Details will be published on the Qarib homepage shortly.

Qarib is a regional programme supporting social cohesion in Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine through media. It is implemented by Canal France International and funded by the French Development Agency AFD.