MEDIA CALL: Journalists for Human Rights Night for Rights Gala

Journalists for Human Rights to welcome Toronto Raptors GM and media personalities to Night for Rights fundraising gala

TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2014 /CNW/ - Tonight Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) will celebrate the transformative power of human rights journalism at its annual Night for Rights gala in Toronto.

Lisa LaFlamme, chief anchor at CTV national news, and Masai Ujiri, general manager of the Toronto Raptors, will co-chair the event, which will be hosted by Reshmi Nair of CBC News Network.

The evening's keynote speaker is Sammy Awami, a JHR-trained journalist from Tanzania and this year's Gordon N. Fisher/JHR fellow at Massey College.

"I cannot even start to explain how inspirational JHR trainers have been to the newsrooms of Tanzania," said Awami. "Their passion and enthusiasm has inspired many journalists to take up human rights coverage, and their knowledge and experience in reporting has helped many reporters further develop their skills."

Danny Glenwright, JHR's executive director, will relate stories from West Africa, where JHR-trained journalists are currently risking their lives covering the ebola public health crisis.

"We have JHR-trained journalists in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana doing this important and dangerous work," said Glenwright. "Many of them tell me they are using the skills they learned from JHR trainers to document stories from the worst hit areas." 

Hanadi Gharaibeh, the country director for the Journalists for Human Rights training project in Jordan, will also speak about how JHR is using data journalism, including a new mobile application, to gather text, video and audio reports about human rights violations.

"The app is perhaps the voice of those who cannot reach out to the media," said Gharaibeh. "In a country like Jordan, where media is struggling with censorship, restrictive media laws and lack of open data, JHR's work is vital."

After the formal dinner presentations, Night for Rights loosens up with an after-dinner reception featuring a live performance by Toronto-based electro-pop band Dragonette, and a guest DJ set by Torquil Campbell of Stars.

JHR is hosting a Night for Rights media call with the evening's co-chairs and speakers at 5:30pm at the Arcadian Court at 401 Bay Street on the eighth floor.

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Notes for Editors:

Journalists for Human Rights (www.jhr.ca) is Canada's leading media development organization. JHR trains journalists to report ethically and effectively on human rights and governance issues in their communities. Since 2002, JHR has trained over 12,500 journalists whose stories have reached over 50 million people.

JHR currently has projects in Jordan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Northern Ontario, and South Sudan.

SOURCE: jhr (Journalists for Human Rights)

please contact Danny Glenwright, Executive Director at 416 413 0240 ext. 207, 416-272-1749 (mobile) or [email protected]