Nominations for 2025 Press Freedom Awards now open

World Press Freedom Canada awards recognize those who confront secrecy, defy intimidation, and overcome dangerous obstacles in their pursuit of truth

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 2, 2024 /CNW/ - World Press Freedom Canada (WPFC) is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2025 Press Freedom Awards and the Career Achievement Award in honour of Spencer Moore are now open.

The annual Press Freedom Awards recognize nominees whose public interest journalism has overcome challenges such as secrecy, legal maneuvers, political intimidation or other tactics designed to stifle their work or put their career or safety at risk.

This year, WPFC will award two Press Freedom prizes, one for larger publications and a Press Freedom, Local Journalism Award for a journalist who works for a small-market news organization.

The Career Achievement Award recognizes a person who, throughout their career, has displayed an indefatigable pursuit of press freedom and transparency.

WPFC will also present our second annual Student Achievement Award, which recognizes an outstanding student journalist who has demonstrated a commitment to press freedom.

Nominations for the student award are open to registered students at a Canadian post-secondary institution in 2024 whose work showed determination to publish a story in the face of challenges or obstacles to freely reporting on issues that matter to their school community.

Work demonstrating this commitment to press freedom for all awards must have been published or broadcast in 2024.

The Press Freedom Award winner will receive $2,500 and a certificate from the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. The winner of the local journalism prize will receive $2,500 and the Career Achievement winner will be awarded $2,500. The Student Achievement Award winner will receive $1,000. Recipients will be announced at our 2025 Press Freedom Awards Luncheon on May 1 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

"The role of the journalist is to inform the public, hold the powerful to account, and amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard. They provide context for the events shaping our world by reporting on what is actually happening and why. We look forward to recognizing these unflappable defenders of democracy at our annual awards luncheon," said World Press Freedom Canada president Heather Bakken.

Nominations for all awards can be made here: https://bit.ly/WPFCAwardsPrix2025.

The deadline for nominations is February 17, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

About World Press Freedom Canada

World Press Freedom Canada is an Ottawa-based, non-profit volunteer organization that promotes free expression and media rights. It celebrates UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day by honouring the award winners. This year World Press Freedom Day is May 3.

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SOURCE World Press Freedom Canada

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