On December 16, 2016 the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) honored the winners of the 21st Annual UNCA Awards for the best print, broadcast and electronic media coverage of the United Nations, U.N. agencies and field operations. The Dinner and Awards took place at Cipriani 55 Wall Street in New York. Guest of honor UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon celebrated his final year at the UN. UN Messenger of Peace, Leonardo DiCaprio, attended as the recipient of the 2016 UNCA Global Citizen of the Year for his work on addressing the effects of climate change.
(The biographies written below for each prize recipient are provided by the journalists themselves)
For print (including online media) coverage of the United Nations, UN agencies and field operations
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Nilufer Demir’s perfectly composed photograph of a drowned refugee child on a Turkish beach helped change international response to the mass of refugees trying to reach Eu- ropean countries.
Ms. Demir is a photojournalist based in Bodrum, Turkey for Dogan News Agency. She cov- ered the European migrant crisis during the summer of 2015 and her photographs of Alan Kurdi became world news.
Short Links to Winning Stories
Eleven migrants drown as two boats sank off Aegean: bit.ly/1fUR2Qp
“He slipped through my fingers” Says father: bit.ly/2gEkyhk
Photo of Aylan Kurdi (Time Magazine top 100 Photos): bit.ly/2g0K38J
Martin Jay, reports daily struggle by Syrian refugees in Lebanon to survive, including burn- ing shoes to remain warm, as they face harsh living conditions.
Martin has covered South Soudan, Rwanda, Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, and Afghanistan, working for over 30 years for CNN, Euronews, BBC and Reuters plus also print media. He is currently the Beirut correspondent for Deutsche Welle.
Short Links to Winning Stories
“Migrant mothers need our help,” say South Africa’s baby smugglers: bit.ly/2fXS7vV
Four decades on, Germany’s Mozambican youth labourers are still waiting to be paid: bit.ly/2gEtO5b
Widows without sons in Mozambique accused of sorcery and robbed of land: tmsnrt.rs/2gWxPjv
Electricity blackouts darken prospects for Zimbabwe’s students: tmsnrt.rs/2h4sWUA
Ty McCormick provides an unflinching focus on refugee problems and war crimes, some, witnessed and photographed courageously by the reporter, make his stories compelling. Ty is Africa Editor at Foreign Policy. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, he has reported from more than a dozen countries, including Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, and the Central Afri- can Republic.
Short Links to Winning Stories
The World’s Largest Refugee Camp Is Invited to Please Shut Down: bit.ly/2ga5tnm
One Day, We Will Start a Big War: atfp.co/1PVKjEs
For broadcast media (TV & Radio) coverage of the United Nations, UN agencies and field operations
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The “Survivors” documentary by Natalia Montagna describes the devastating humanitar- ian crisis of the world’s 60 million refugees and displaced people and the importance of the UNHCR’s role in protecting them.
Natalia is an award-winning journalist and World Press Institute fellow. She covered the UNGA in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Since 2010 she hosts and produces Linea de Tiempo.
Short Link to Winning Story
“Survivors” Línea de Tiempo Special Program (en Español): youtu.be/ysHZxYyxpmo
RT provides an original document on the work of the UN General Assembly during numer- ous sessions to discuss its program of work and expectations.
Anissa Naouai is the host of “In the Now,” a digital political satire project and a senior political correspondent for RT International. She won the 2015 Best Anchor medal at The New York Festivals Film and TV Awards, and her show, “In the Now,” was a finalist for Best News Promotion. Her reports have taken her to over 80 cities across the globe.
Short Link to Winning Story
RT’s Special Coverage of UN General Assembly 2015: youtu.be/LF3_oZoElLM
In their report, Sherwin and Aaron show how the UN Charter remains the primary international document granting fundamental rights to women.
Sherwin (l) is a Correspondent and Bureau Chief for SABC News based at United Na- tions Headquarters in New York since 2002 and writes for radio & TV.
Aaron (r) graduated with a B.A. in Visual Media from The American University in Wash- ington DC before commencing his career in news broadcast at Feature Story News. For 8 years, he has been behind the lens and in the edit suite for SABC News UN.
Short Links to Winning Story
Research challenges role played by women in UN Charter: bit.ly/2h85uWh
Video of above story: youtu.be/5sRWi8pz4R8
James Bays covers the complicated process to select the new UN Secretary General with comprehensive analysis and insightful details about the world organization’s 193 governments.
James is based in Aljazeera’s UN bureau, covering global diplomacy, defense, and development issues. He also serves as a Presenter of Aljazeera’s ‘Talk to Aljazeera’ programme. Whitney is a senior producer at Al Jazeera English covering the United Nations and global diplomacy.
Short Link to Winning Story
The UN Debate: youtu.be/3WqFUVpoZQs
For print (including online media) and broadcast media (TV & Radio) coverage of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Water
Amy Goodman defies police harassment to report protests against the construction of an oil pipeline in North Dakota by native Americans, who believe the pipeline violates their ances- tral lands and damages the environment.
Amy is an award-winning journalist, investigative reporter, best selling author and one of to- day’s most respected pioneers of independent media. Goodman shares this award with the contributing producers Laura Gottesdiener, John Hamilton and Denis Moynihan.
Short Links to Winning Stories
Dakota Access Pipeline Co. Attacks Native Americans with Dogs & Pepper Spray: bit.ly/2g1oNjc
Did the Dakota Access Pipeline Company Deliberately Destroy Sacred Sioux Burial Sites?: bit.ly/2h4F6g7
Canine Expert Decries “Egregious” & “Horrific” Dog Attacks on Native Americans Defending Burial Site: bit.ly/2g1ySNg
Attack Comes on Anniversary of Whitestone Massacre: bit.ly/2g1z2US
It’s Time to Move On from Fossil Fuels: bit.ly/2g1wmpW
Lakota Activist “Why I am a Water Protector at Standing Rock”: bit.ly/2gXe5fT
North Dakota v. Amy Goodman: Arrest Warrant Issued: bit.ly/2gXmoe4
In Dramatic Reversal, White House Halts Dakota Access Pipeline Construction Under Missouri River: bit.ly/2gFDfRR
Daily Show – September 06, 2016: bit.ly/2gSIHi5
Daily Show – September 12, 2016: bit.ly/2h4Mnwp
Lucydalia Baca’s articles highlight the long-running problems of Nicaragua’s agriculture that are related to climate change and to efforts to strike a balance between local and foreign products.
Lucydalia has over ten years experience in journalism, including the economic field where the coverage productive issues has linked her to the effects caused by climate change.
Short Links to Winning Stories
El Niño empaña futuro del agro: bit.ly/1kmaEiI
Un nuevo reto: el suelo se acidifica: bit.ly/2gIAbEI
Dieta nica depende de cultivos foráneos: bit.ly/28ISvLm
Neil Marks reports that loggers do their best to preserve natural life and rare animals in the tropical forests as they cut down trees and process logs that will ship to buyers in New Zealand, Italy, the UK and elsewhere.
Neil started working in the media in Guyana in 1998, just after high school. Today, he works as the Sunday Editor at the Guyana Chronicle and serves as President of the Guyana Press Association.
Short Links to Winning Stories
Living with chainsaws and jaguars: bit.ly/2guKqcK
How the Wapichan people won the Equator Prize: bit.ly/2guQZvO
for print (including online media) and broadcast media (TV & Radio) for coverage of humanitarian and development aspects of the U.N. and U.N. agencies
Short Links to Winning Stories
Saudi Arabia Warns the UN and Aid Workers in Yemen: bit.ly/1muPlfL
Abuses in Yemen, America Stood By: politi.co/2alCklY
After Thousands of Bombs on Yemen, Saudi Arabia Is Freaked Out by the UN’s Interest: bit.ly/1R1vcWD
Saudi Arabia Is Thwarting the Distribution of Emergency UN Aid in Yemen: bit.ly/1RDRfUr
Short Links to Winning Stories
Can texting teens save a threatened Hawaiian language?: bit.ly/1KQ5xyn
UN: Obama’s boost for beleaguered blue helmets: bit.ly/2gVn5l2
UN: Eradicating world poverty in 15 years: bit.ly/1gZWmlO
Short Links to Winning Stories
Local groups demand bigger slice of aid pie for world’s crises: tmsnrt.rs/1PdUVKp
How to stop people dying from aid shortages? Tackle roots of crises: tmsnrt.rs/2h7Wi4g
UN aid summit urged to invest more in avoiding costly disasters: tmsnrt.rs/2g3igEB
States urged to target disaster aid at the poor as climate risks rise: tmsnrt.rs/27GQV20
As disaster risks rise, 20 vulnerable nations get help to prepare: tmsnrt.rs/1TXhjKO
Aid efficiency bargain could save $1 bln per year – EU VP: tmsnrt.rs/2h7UWGC
PREVIEW-Humanitarian summit seeks to reboot aid, pressure states to end war: tmsnrt.rs/2gvpMck
Tuvalu PM urges new legal framework for climate migrants: tmsnrt.rs/1TDeTDW
Antonio Carlucci (L’Espresso) Georges Leclere (LGMA) Rory O’Connor (Globalvision) Eric Porterfield (UN Foundation) Chris Sullivan (Associated Press) Ian Williams (Tribune London)
