2020 Lorenzo Natali Media Prize winners announced

This is a press release from the Lorenzo Natali Media Prize.

On Wednesday, July 15, the European Commission announced the winners of the 2020 Lorenzo Natali Media Prize.

The winners are as follows:

Grand Prize

“The ‘thin yellow line’ standing between Hong Kong police and protestors”
by Dayu Zhang (South China Morning Post)
For his story on the 2019 Hong Kong protests from the perspective of a community group seeking to defuse tensions between protestors and police.

Europe Prize

“Mines’ dirty secrets echo on three continents”
by Cécile Schilis Gallego & Marion Guegan (Forbidden Stories)
For their investigation on the hostile environment faced by journalists reporting on mining stories across the world.

Best Emerging Journalist Prize

“For African migrants trying, and dying, to reach North America, the Darién Gap is the ‘New Mediterranean’”
by Shola Lawal (Equal Times)
For her exposé on the dangerous conditions faced by ‘extra-continental migrants’ traveling from Africa to reach North America.

For nearly three decades, the Prize has recognized quality journalism focused on compelling and compassionate reporting to bring sustainable development stories to light.

The 2020 Prize winners were selected by a Grand Jury from among more than 800 applications from 94 different countries.

The Grand Jury was composed of journalism and development experts:
Marites Danguilan Vitug (Rappler)
Zaina Erhaim (Institute of War and Peace Reporting)
Gillian Joseph (Sky News UK)
Maria Latella (Radio 24, Il Messagero, Sky Italy)
Kingsley Okeke (African Leadership Magazine)

All entries went through an initial pre-selection phase conducted by three schools of journalism: Vesalius College in Brussels, Universida de Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon, and the Université Saint Joseph in Beirut.

Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen said the Prize “celebrates quality journalism focused on sustainable development.”

“I was happy to see so many great professionals apply this year. This growing interest demonstrates the crucial role that journalism plays in building open, democratic societies. Shedding light on the stories you tell is how, together, we build a better world,” Urpilainen said.

The award ceremony, which usually takes place at the European Development Days, will be organized later this year. – Rappler.com