On December 7 this year, the Transatlantic Leadership Network – TLN, a Washington D.C. based nonpartisan think-tank, will held its inaugural “Freedom of the Media” gala dinner & award ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. TLN’s media initiative will include annual media conference and will serve as a platform for support for journalists world-wide.
“Authoritarian strongman and their supporters who wish to silence press accuse journalists of spreading “fake news” while they themselves pursue malicious social media disinformation campaigns to intentionally undermine the public’s trust in fact-based journalism. This is a phenomenon not unique to the West. It is prevalent in the countries form Eastern Europe and Russia, to the Middle East, and to Asia. We believe that this dangerous development must be confronted in a concerted and compelling way. We want to give a voice to those trying to defend the rule of law and to protect journalists, fight fake news, and better understand the role of social media in disseminating the news”, says TLN Chairman Michael Haltzel, who served as Democratic Staff Director, Subcommittee on European Affairs, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and European policy advisor to President (then-Senator) Joseph R. Biden.
Michel El Murr receive TLN “Freedom of the Media” award for his role in defense of freedom, pluralism, and sovereignty in Lebanon.
TLN’s Gold Medal for U.S. based individual or news organization is awarded to Jackson Diehl of Washington Post for his outstanding commitment to highest standards of journalism, including his advocacy for persecuted journalists and political activists on four continents. The Gold Medal for the international news organization or individual is awarded both to Al Jazeera Media Network and Fairouz Ziani, for “A Day in Wuhan” documentary report with exclusive footage from Wuhan (China) during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Al Jazeera’s follow up investigative stories continued to bring important news and shed more light about the Covid-19 pandemic that helped people around the world to better understand and be better prepared to confront this global pandemic.
Mujo Selimovic, publisher of Oslobodjenje Media Group in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisian young reporter Ghaya Ben Mbarek, and Natalie Sedletska, internationally acclaimed journalist from Ukraine, are also awarded “TLN 2021 Freedom of the Media” awards.
Award ceremony will be held at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. at the invitation-only gala dinner event. Lisa Mathews, Press Club president will deliver opening remarks. Julie Pace, Executive Director & Senior Vice President of the Associated Press will deliver a keynote address. Members of the US Congress, US government, foreign Ambassadors, diplomats, prominent US journalists and scholars will be attending. TRT World, Ghida Fakhry, will deliver remarks as guest of honor, while Emily Wilkins of Bloomberg Government will moderate a brief panel discussion. TLN first “Freedom of the Media” conference is scheduled for June 21-22, 2022, at the US Congress.
For more information, visit: www.transatlantic.org
