| About
the Kurt Schork Awards
The Kurt Schork Memorial Awards uniquely honour the contributions
of freelance journalists covering foreign news and reporters from
the developing world and countries in transition. In 2005 IWPR was
delighted to partner with the Kurt Schork Memorial
Fund and help administer and organise the awards.
 The
Goal
The goal of the Kurt Schork Memorial Awards is to recognize and
assist freelance and local journalists who make such a critical
contribution to interntional understanding but whose work is often
overlooked. The Awards include two cash prizes of $5,000 each
to provide some financial support to help the winners continue
reporting. Though local journalists in the developing world take
extraordinary risks to expose corruption and injustice in their
countries, they rarely earn enough money to support themselves
and their families. Similarly, freelancers live from job to job,
never knowing when the next assignment will come, where it may
lead or how long it will last. With these awards, the Fund spotlights
the plight and achievements of both.
The Recipients
The Fund's focus is based on Kurt Schork's own professional interests
and values. A freelancer himself, Schork appreciated the obstacles
and concerns of freelance journalists who work without the institutional
or financial safety net of large news organizations and yet are
usually first on the scene, often taking greater risks to keep
the public informed. It was the work of freelancers and local
journalists that Schork valued above all. His family decided that
the best way to honour his legacy was to acknowledge those journalists
with whom he had a particular bond.
The Awards
Nominees are judged not only on the quality of writing and investigative
effort, but also on the level of courage and resourcefulness demonstrated
in producing the stories. Winning entries are expected to reflect
the high standard of reporting that Kurt Schork stood for and
lived by during the course of his distinguished career.
Also see:
2009 -
Press Release | Winners
|
Ceremony Videos
2008 -
Press Release |
Winners |
Ceremony Videos |
Ceremony Photos
2007 -
Press Release |
Winners |
Ceremony Videos |
Ceremony Photos
2006 -
Press Release |
Winners |
Ceremony Photos
To find out about previous winners and for further information
about Kurt Schork and the Kurt Schork Memorial Fund see http://www.ksmfund.org/
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witter
War reporting is a privilege.
After three years, the grime and gore of combat, the dreadful
logic of ethnic hatred are no longer abstractions for me.
More important, every day I see the grace and dignity of
ordinary people trying to survive under extraordinary circumstances.
Facing Justice - Uganda
On the Scale - Darfur
Vacancies
Available
Project
Review Oct/Nov 2009
Focus
on Kurdish Riots
A
Window on Syria
Philippines
Massacre
Iraqi Women’s Media Initiative
Kurt Schork Award Winners
"Now [the Taleban] appear to be able to launch their attacks even in the most heavily protected sections of [Kabul], "said IWPR Afghan project editor/trainer Jean MacKenzie.
"The simple fact is that the condition of the economy has never played a major role in the minds of Iranian leaders or in Iran's national security equation," said IWPR contributor Omid Memarian on the prospect of tougher western sanctions. 
“I
would like to imagine that at least a few senior politicians
woke up this week to seriously wonder what kind of monsters
they and their system have created over the years," said
IWPR's Head of Asia Alan Davis, referring to Maguindanao massacre.
Recent
double bombing in Baghdad has cast doubt on the government's
ability to guarantee security and prompted fears such violence
may affect voter turnout in anticipated January elections,
writes iWPR reporter Ali Karim.