The first edition of the Arab Media Humanitarian prize on children and adolescents

This award aims at motivating journalists and adolescents to highlight their concerns and contribute in finding adequate solutions. It encourages them to express themselves and helps them convey their message through the media to the biggest number of readers, viewers and listeners.

The first edition of the prize will include 4 categories: television, radio, written press and online media as well as materials produced by adolescents. It will reward the best coverage of adolescents themes in the region and awards will be given to four winners per category.
The award is open to all materials in Arabic, published or broadcast between January 1st 2008 and October 15th 2008.

Abdel-Rahman Ghandour, Regional Chief of Communication, UNICEF Middle East and North Africa, noted that:

"Children and adolescent represent the biggest chunk of our region, and the Arab media play a major role in tackling their issues. The efficient participation of journalists contributes by leveraging the level of awareness on these concerns and striving to find suitable solutions. It is important to encourage children and adolescents to participate and express their views, in their own style, on the issues that matter the most to them. The media represent the adequate forum to convey these ideas and topics, and we urge all journalists and adolescents to participate actively in all categories of the award."

Maryam Bin Fahad, Dubai Press Club Executive Director said to be proud of the partnership with UNICEF and Al-Bayan newspaper saying: "The UNICEF plays a vital role in encouraging children and adolescents to express themselves, and has coincided with the new direction of Al-Bayan newspaper to encourage young journalistic talents. Hence the award will be a real opportunity to discover talents in this age group, in addition to being a pioneer initiative that stresses on the humanitarian dimension of communication."

Bin Fahad explains that "based on DPC's established experience in organizing awards, and to ensure the highest level of transparency and objectivity in evaluating the participations, a jury will be formed of UNICEF communication officers, key journalists and those in charge of key media initiatives led by youngsters. The jury will abide by the highest standards and best practices to ensure that quality is maintained while evaluating the content of all participations from different Arab countries, so that the committee will be able to choose winners and announce their names at the fourth Arab media humanitarian forum next November."

UNICEF offices in the Arab World will receive submissions from all participating countries.

As for Al-Bayan newspaper, it is contributing in supporting this award in his role as essential partner of the Arab Media Humanitarian Forum since its inception, through active participation in the three previous editions organized to date.

Al Bayan considers this award as a turning point in the process of the forum, as it will put all stakeholders in front of their responsibilities to tackle the topics raised and discussed at every forum.

Since its launch in 1980, Al-Bayan newspaper was striving to create a strategic partnership with local, regional and international organizations, based on her belief that the ultimate goal of the media is to serve as a catalyst of change in the society and that the role of the media should be proactive not reactive, and that children and adolescents are the future.

The Arab media humanitarian award will become a yearly award with a different theme and topic to be announced at the start of each edition.

To participate in the award, kindly send your selected article(s), video pieces or recording(s) in addition to the attached application to the provided address in the UAE.