Zuhair Al Jezairy, Aswat Al-Iraq Editor in Chief
Photo by Aws Al Jezairy

Aswat Al-Iraq – the Iraqi news agency mentored by Thomson Reuters Foundation during its start-up period – made it to the shortlist for a prestigious award at a ceremony held in London on June 22. It was one of seven contenders for special recognition at the 21st annual One World Media Awards, where mainstream excellence is acknowledged in categories from best international documentary to press journalist of the year. The Special Award looks for projects that are outstanding examples of use of the media to promote and support education, health, human rights and fair government. This year’s winners, B’tselem of Israel, were selected for their visionary camera distribution project in Palestine. The project strives to bring raw footage of human right violations in Gaza to the Western world, as filmed by children who experience it during their day to day lives.

In addition to Aswat Al-Iraq (Voices of Iraq), the other shortlisted projects included television dramas from Kenya, Congo and Nepal, a youth project in Sierra Leone and a children’s radio project in West Africa.

Based in Iraq, Aswat Al-Iraq emerged in 2004 with an aim to provide an independent alternative to the country’s sectarian-based press, with wide coverage around the country, despite instability andconstant security threats.

The project, supported by United Nations Development Program and Thomson Reuters Foundation, trained young and aspiring Iraqi journalists to produce impartial coverage without the influence of any political or cultural views. In shortlisting Aswat Al-Iraq for the Special Award, One World Media noted it had become widely respected and is now used by more than 100 Iraqi, Arab and international media outlets and web portals.

Organisations such as Aswat Al-Iraq and B’Tselem are becoming much more widely recognised for their breakthrough approach to media. Their aspirations to impact and change public opinions through the everyday people of the developing worlds are being universally supported by larger organisations, which help them to communicate their ideas globally. The BBC, Channel Four (UK), Thomson Reuters, UNICEF, and the UK’s Department for International Development are among the awards’ sponsors.

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